Cirque du Celestia: Holiday Special
by InaereiShadowsong
Summary: Fionna and Cake have struggled to survive against everything London threw at them. However, would a chance meeting with the Ringmaster of the famous Cirque du Celestia change that? Join the two sisters and meet the adventure time crew in their own circus acts! Holidays only. Please review! I want to know what you guys think!
1. Happy Holidays

Happy holidays everyone!

Inspired by the movie The Butterfly Circus and Cirque du Soleil.

* * *

A nineteen year old girl with long, flowing locks of golden hair dove into the crystal clear pond in the middle of a small forest with the softest of splashes. The subtle ripples glided along the surface of the sparkling water, causing the reflection of the moon to flutter for only a fleeting moment. The girl, whose blue eyes were as clear as the water itself, gracefully waved her arms in slow, dramatic waving movements, reveling in the tingling feeling of the cool water sliding over her skin. She arched her back then pointed her toes, twirling beneath the bright moon in a long forgotten waltz under the surface of the water. A single tune resonated around her mind, keeping her graceful movements in time, only to be interrupted by only one other thought; more air. She swam up to the moon after several minutes of submersion, and cautiously broke through the surface. With her years of carefulness and practice, not a single ripple disturbed the clear surface. The girl inhaled silently then floated on her back. The water played with her silky golden hair and covered her ears as her bright blue eyes stared in wonder at the fullness and brightness of the moon. This was her haven, the water sending tingles around her body, the moon shining not too bright, not too dark, and watching over her. A satisfied sigh escaped her moist pink lips as her eyelids lowered and covered the orbs within.

She closed her eyes and listened to the noises of the night, muffled by the water. Her eyes snapped open at the franticness of muffled screams and then splashing. She slowly raised her head and searched for the source of the commotion. Her eyes quickly found a another girl, a couple years older than her with light brown hair and pale green eyes, doubled over and out of breath. Her multiple layered white and brown dress was torn in places.

"Cake? What's-?"

"Get out of the water, Fionna!" the girl panted. "Quickly!" The girl named Cake quickly glanced over her shoulders. "They're coming!" The brown haired girl quickly raced around the edge of the lake to the far side. The blonde, Fionna, quickly swam to where her clothes were on the shoreline with incredible speed. Fionna immediately scrambled into her dress as soon as she got out of the water. In her mind, she cursed the women's fashion in London at that time. Dresses are all for catching a man's attention. It doesn't help when you want to do something useful; neither did the slip on shoes.

"This way!" Cake whispered hastily and bounded into the woods. Fionna sprinted after her while wringing out the water from her locks of hair. The girls raced the shadows, used to running away from pursuers in the dark with ease.

"Who are we running from exactly?" Fionna called out as the sound of laughter and cheering of men echoed from somewhere behind them. "Wait!" Fionna hissed then looked upwards. "Let's climb a tree! We can fight them off if they decide to climb!" the blonde hopped up and grabbed a low lying branch. She heaved herself up as the elder girl grabbed the branch right next to her. The two of them scaled the tall but still young oak tree and sat on top some of the highest branches. The blonde turned to the panting girl across from her, a question in her eyes.

"Drunkards from a nearby village," Cake finally answered after catching her breath. "I was looking at a poster of a circus on one of the building's walls when they started whistling at me. I started to walk away but another man ran to them. He claimed that a naked angel was dancing in the water. The others got up at the word 'naked' and I ran before they noticed, knowing it was you that man was talking about."

"Hold on, I can hear them!" Fionna exclaimed. They clamped their mouths shut as the slurred laughter of the intoxicated men came from below. They stumbled into view between the branches, pushing and shoving each other. There were eight of them around their late thirties. To the relief of the two girls, one of them was somewhat sober and began to shepherd the others back to the direction of which they came.

The two girls stayed hidden in the foliage for a couple more minutes, just to make sure that the coast was clear, before scaling down the trunk of the tree. When their shoes touchdown back on the damp soil of the forest ground, Fionna turned to her sister who nodded back at her then led the way. When walking through the dark, Cake always led the way due to her incredible eyesight in the dark. The blonde often teases her about her 'cat eyes'. Fionna followed behind the brown haired young woman. Her own instincts were sharpened, ready to react to anything the forest was hiding.

Fionna always referred to her life long companion and best friend as her 'sister' and Cake did the same for her regardless of the lack of blood relation they share. Whenever someone asked either one of them how they know each other, they would usually reply with "She's my sister!", usually in unison and followed by an embrace. Cake Michealli and Fionna Nightingdale always looked out for each other ever since a plague that swept through England and claimed hundreds of poor souls as well as the parents of the two girls.

"Can you explain something to me Fionna?" Cake whispered after a couple minutes. "You love the water don't you? Being underwater?"

"Yeah. It feels great. It's nice and cool. There's no gravity keeping you to the ground, I can move anyway I want without being grounded to the earth," the blonde sighed, remembering the cool feeling of the water of the lake sliding over her bare skin.

"Then," Cake questioned slyly. "Why are you so terrified of the ocean?"

The color drained out of Fionna as the memory of the trip the orphanage took to the beach. Cake laughed when she saw it in the dark. "I'm not sure...it's just so vast and...I don't know...I'm not afraid of lakes or ponds or rivers but..." the blonde mumbled, unable to find the words to explain her thalassophobia.

"That makes no sense whatsoev-"

Laughter from all around them interrupted their conversation as their fighting instincts began to immediately kicked in. "Found ya!" One of the drunkards that was chasing them earlier stumbled from behind the bushes to their left. Six more stumbled out, slurring through their laughter, the sober one that supposedly led them back to the bar wasn't there.

"And just how did you find us?" The blonde snarled as she and Cake stood back to back.

"Well when you've hunted -hic- for years, -hic- two lost little girls -hic- aren't hard to find," one of them hiccupped as the he and the others circled the two young girls.

"Careful, if you corner a cat, you'll get scratched," Cake sneered followed by a smirk on Fionna's face. Before another second passed, the young ladies jumped into action. Fionna tackled one of them, slamming him against the ground. Cake punched the one that was about attack the blonde. The two of them ran through the gap they made on the circle of alcoholics. The men, still their intoxicated highs, ran after them, hooting and yelling as if the girls were their prey.

"This way!" Fionna panted and swerved to the left. Cake jumped through the bushes after her. The two of them ran to the edge of the woods and onto a lighted dirt road. A small wooden salon with three horses tied in the front stood solitarily on the side. The same thought went through the girls' heads: to go into the salon where, hopefully, there are other people around to serve as witnesses or maybe even help them against the alcoholics chasing after them.

But before they even came close to the entrance of the salon, Fionna saw her 'sister' get tackled to the ground from the corner of her eye. The blonde unconsciously slowed down and found herself gasping in pain as she too was slammed onto the ground. However, Fionna Nightingdale and Cake Michealli were not to be underestimated. Fionna grabbed the head of the man that tackled her and brought it down crashing onto the ground, breaking his nose. She jumped to her feet, pulled up folds of her dress and kicked the man restraining Cake. With the two 'sisters' working together, they easily knocked out three men in no time at all. The others, seeing what they could do, were more careful. One of them lunged at the blonde who jumped out of the way. However, they were expecting this for another easily tackled her down while she was focused on the other man. Fionna was slammed onto the ground. A man restrained her ankles while another held down her wrists. The blonde struggled against the hands that were fettering her but they were too strong. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Cake in the same situation as she was.

"Let us go!" Cake grunted, flailing her limbs around in an escape attempt.

"Like hell we're gonna do that!" One of Fionna's captors snarled. His eyes were hazy from alcohol and lust for his current victim. The blonde could smell the rancid odor of alcohol from his breath. His grip tightened around her arms as she held back a cry of pain. "We didn' chase you down from 'em woods for notin'!"

"You won't get away with this," Fionna snarled.

The man restraining her ankles grinned sadistically and squeezed her ankles tightly. "And who's gonna stop us sweetheart?" He started laughing and the others joined in the chorus is cackles. In the midst of their laughter, their grips loosened by the slightest bit. Without wasting the opportunity, Fionna jerked her leg free and kicked the man restraining it square in the jaw. The man fettering her arms pushed his thumbs on the pressure points in her arms, causing pain to shoot down the limbs. The blonde felt tears build up in her eyes and let out a cry of pain but muffled it instantly as her legs were once again restrained.

"You're gonna regret that, you wench!' The man she kicked snarled. His jaw was bloodied, making his sadistic smile all the more menacing. He slammed his hands down on her thighs, found the pressure points and pressed down on them. Fionna felt her body shiver in the pain and struggled to make it stop. She let out another cry of pain.

"Is there a problem here?" The two men backed off the pressure points at the sound of a stranger's voice. The blonde silently sighed in relief then turned her head at the newcomer. His voice was calm and polite yet stern and serious, coming from someone who held authority. A man in his mid twenties with rectangular spectacles and combed strawberry blonde haired that seemed to glow slightly into the dark, stood watching the struggle. He was wearing a light brown trench coat and brown trousers. The stature he held himself in reminded the blonde of the early years of the mayor of the village she and Cake were from. A taller man with a white ponytail and darker complexion stood next to him. He looked about the same age as his friend and wore similar formal clothing. His brown eyes glared at the men and his hands balled into fists.

"Nothing' you need to worry about pretty boy," sneered one of the men holding Cake.

"Were you really expecting a straight answer for your question Bubba?" A deep, husky voice with a hint of mischief chuckled out of nowhere.

Fionna saw the drunkards turn their head toward the new arrival and used this to her advantage. She mustered up every ounce of strength she had left and kicked the man restraining her ankles again. This time he was thrown back and then collapsed on the ground. The impact between the man's face and Fionna's foot brought the attention back to the girls. The blonde heard the other girl struggled against the hands keeping her down. Fionna made the mistake of glancing at her sister because when she looked back at her captor, all she saw was his fist accelerating to her face. The blonde shut her eyes on the second of impact. She barely felt the air moved by punch on her face and snapped her eyes open at the feeling of coarse skin trembling, barely touching the tip of her nose.

"Is that how you treat a young woman?" The deep voice chuckled once more. The coarse fist was jerked back, and so was the man it was attached to. The blonde's savior's trenchcoat flapped around as he swung his long legs around and kicked the drunkard. Fionna scrambled to her feet as the drunkard went flying but stepped on the ends of her dress and stumbled. Gentle yet firm arms kept her from falling to the ground. The blonde felt long muscular arms wrap around her waist and hoist her to her feet. She felt herself being pressed against the torso of their master. She saw that her savior had long silky onyx locks that flowed down over his ebony eyes. He had a boyish yet handsome face with pale skin. He was a tall man in his mid twenties. The blonde, who was almost up to his shoulders, blushed and slightly pushed away from him. The dark haired man tightened his grip around her, pulling her closer, and and leaned his head against hers protectively. Fionna buried her face into his shoulders and willed her blush away.

The blonde noticed that she wasn't the only one being rescued. The man with the white ponytail has fought off her adoptive sister's captors and offered his hand to Cake. The brown haired girl had a shocked look on her face then flushed when she took his hand. Fionna turned her attention back to the man holding her so tenderly yet protectively. Like the other two men from the salon, he was in formal clothes save that his were black. A black vest covered his collared red shirt under the black trenchcoat that draped from his broad shoulders. His deep ebony eyes glared at the remaining drunkards.

Fionna felt his hold around her tighten once more. "Leave," he growled and the drunkards scrambled. "Are you alright miss?" The raven haired man loosened his grip on Fionna and let her use his arms for balance.

She lost herself in those midnight black eyed for a second then looked at her sister to hide her flushed cheeks. "Y-yes, thank you."

"Fionna!" The blonde heard Cake cry as she ran towards her. The blonde ran from the man's arms and embraced her adoptive sister. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, yes I'm fine. But what about you?" Fionna looked her up and down and sighed when she nodded.

"I take it's safe to assume that the two of you are alright?" Fionna and Cake nodded to the man with rectangular spectacles, the one the raven haired man referred to as 'Bubba'. He stood up from where he was squatting to check at the men that his friends took down. "That's good to hear. Please allow me to properly introduce myself," He walked up to the girls and held out his hand. "My name is Bubba Goldfax and this is my old friend, Lorn Chromic." Bubba gestured at the pony tailed man in his thirties that saved Cake. Lorn smiled and waved his hands in the air in movements unfamiliar to Cake. "He's deaf," the strawberry blonde man explained when he saw the girls' confused faces. "He also can't talk so he communicates through sign language."

"Oh my name is Cake. Cake Michealli'" Cake smiled to her rescuer, understanding sign language and shook his hand.

"Marshall Lee Kingville," Fionna jumped at the deep tenor of her rescuer. Marshall walked up to the blonde and held out his hand.

"Fionna Nightingdale," she replied and shook his hand.

"The two of you are shivering. Why don't we go inside for a drink?" Bubba offered.

The two girls didn't even notice the shivers that ran up and down their spines. It was the middle of December in London after all, on the eve before Christmas. Fionna shivered in her long baby blue dress. It had lace going down the middle of her torso then disappeared into to folds of the skirt. Cake was wearing a light brown dress with designs in dark brown and frills on the long sleeves. The men started towards the salon. Fionna nervously looked at Cake who had a similar discomfort spreading through her face.

"Don't worry! We'll pay for the drinks. The two of you need it after tonight's excitement," Marshall Lee called over his shoulder then stuck his hands in his pocket. Cake sighed and gave Fionna a tired look. Then the two of them followed the three men back to the salon. "By the way," Marshall started as the girls caught up with them. "Hold old are you both anyways? I'm not about to let minors have alcohol. "

"I'm twenty-one and Fionna is nineteen. You don't have to worry about that. We don't drink alcohol," Cake answered.

"Wonderful!" Bubba exclaimed. "Then a few cocktails wouldn't hurt anyone."

Lorn was first to get to the salon where he opened the door and held it for the others. Each of them thanked him as they passed by and he nodded back politely. The salon has a small, quiet place. A small candle flickered on each table top while a couple lanterns lit up the bar in the back.

Fionna wrinkled her nose as soon as the pungent smell of smoke and alcohol hit her nose. Cake placed a hand on her arm and rubbed it for comfort. Fionna placed a hand over hers as a means of thanks and reassurance that she would be alright. Bubba was first to make a move and took a seat on one of the circular tables that seated five. Lorn sat on his right and Cake plopped herself down on the seat next to him. Marshall Lee grabbed the chair next to her and pulled it out for the blonde. She was taken aback by the gesture but kept her composure. "Thank you," she mumbled and took the offered seat, blushing slightly. The tall man slid the seat under her and placed himself on the seat between her and Bubba.

"Waitress!" The strawberry blonde man called in a friendly manner. "Five cocktails please! No alcohol!" one of the ladies in uniform nodded and prepared the drinks.

"Is there something on my face?" Marshall Lee asked out of nowhere.

The blonde, who was watching the waitress prepare their beverages, knew he wasn't talking to her. She turned to him and saw that he was looking strangely at her adoptive sister.

"I-uh-um," Cake stuttered then took a breath. "I feel like I've seen you before… all three of you actually... I just can't seem to put my finger on it," she explained. A smirk appeared on Marshall Lee's face as a small smile spread through Bubba's face. Now that the blonde thought about it, something about those three men that helped them was vaguely familiar. It wasn't until the waitress delivered their drinks and Fionna's first few sips that Cake's green eyes lit up, "The Circus!"

"Cake we've never been to a circus. How could you have possibly-"

"No we haven't but do you remember that poster I told you about?" Cake exclaimed. "The one before those guys started looking for you?" The blonde recalled the story told on the treetops and nodded. "Well, these guys were on it!"

Bubba let a out a small chuckle then Marshall spoke, "I'm glad our advertisements are working." He brought the tall glass of different liquids to his lips.

"You're in the circus?" Fionna exclaimed, her curiosity at its peak.

This time Bubba answered, letting the raven haired man finish his drink. "Indeed we are Miss Fionna. Have you ever heard of the Cirque du Celestia?"

"That was the circus on the poster!" Cake exclaimed.

"'Cirque du Celestia'? I know I've heard that before, somewhere," Fionna racked her brain then turned to Cake. "Oh! I remember Mistress Petrikova talking about it to Gretchen." She then turned back to Marshall Lee. "You guys do two shows as part of a days' performance; one during daylight and another in the nighttime."

"That's right Fionna," Marshall sighed after chugging his cocktail. "The first show, or as we call it the Sunlight Performance, is more of a parade around the streets. It serves as entertainment for all the little kids as well as an advertisement, or a preview for what we have in store for the nighttime show, or the..?"

"The Moonlight Performance?" Fionna answered.

"That's it," Marshall chuckled then winked at the blonde who blushed. "The Moonlight Performance is the main event of the night. I would tell you more but I wouldn't want to ruin the surprise."

"I don't think we'll be able to see it so you can go ahead and spoil it for us," Cake said nervously.

"You won't be able to see it? Why not?" Bubba questioned them.

"Well.." Cake scratched her head. Fionna looked to the ground. She knew they couldn't go, no matter how badly she wanted to. They didn't have any money to buy the tickets. They barely had enough money to get food for the winter season. Fionna knew it would be difficult when she and Cake agreed to run away from Mistress Simone Petrikova's Orphanage for Lost Little Snowflakes seven years ago. They've survived by doing odd jobs and errands for money but without a permanent home, they don't know what to do.

"We saved you so the least you can do is watch our performances," Marshall said and took two slips of paper from his coat pocket. "Both performances." He handed the slips of paper to the girls. Fionna accepted one and handed the other to Cake. Her eyes roamed the red and green designs and over to the letters 'Cirque du Celestia: Moonlight Performance of Dec. 25. Ticket No. 785'.

"We can't take this!" Fionna exclaimed and put the ticket back on the table.

"That's right. You've already bought us drinks and saved us from those alcoholics. We have nothing to return to you," the elder girl explained and placed her own ticket back on the wooden table.

"You can repay us with your audience," Bubba replied calmly. "We like to see familiar faces in the audience and we would be absolutely delighted if two fair maidens such as yourselves could see our performances."

Lorn took the tickets and then held them for the girls to take. Fionna glanced at her 'sister' who sighed and looked at her. "If you insist," she gave in and took the tickets.

"Excellent. The Sunlight Performance begins at noon. We will be performing in that small village down the road so you'll be able to find us with hardly any trouble," Bubba smiled.

"You can bring your families too. It is on Christmas Day after all. How many more tickets would you like?" Marshall asked and began to search his pockets for more slips of colored paper.

"That won't be necessary Mr. Marshall," Cake explained nervously.

"Please, just Marshall. I'm not that much older than you. May I ask why it would be unnecessary? Wouldn't you want to spend this holiday with your family?"

Fionna hung her head and grabbed Cake's hand under the table, a tightening feeling began in her chest. Cake squeezed her hand and sighed. "Well, we are orphans. We both lost our families to the plague years ago and had to live in an orphanage run by a crazy lady. Don't get me wrong, she was nice some of the time but she has gone through traumatizing things. So we ran away. We've been surviving on what we can for the past seven years."

The three men were silent. Bubba looked at the girls with sympathy. Lorn put his glass down. Marshall stopped rummaging through his pocket and whispered "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Fionna looked up and smiled. "Sure we've gone through some difficult times but we are healthy and we have each other so we'll be fine," she assured them, trying to hide the pain of the last seven years.

"That's the spirit," Bubba mumbles, still feeling sorry for the 'sisters'. "Would it be alright if we were to walk the two of you home? We wouldn't want more drunkards to come after you."

"Uh..actually we just stay in the woods.."Cake mumbled.

"Waitress!" Marshall called, making the two girls jump, and the uniformed lady that served their drinks walked up to them. She collected their now empty glasses then accepted the pay from Marshall. "Do you happen to know a place anyone could spend the night?"

"Yes sir. We have a couple rooms in the next building but they're not exactly, luxurious, but they are in good condition."

"That'll work. I'd like to pay for a room for the night," Marshall gave some more money. "Can you include breakfast with that?"

"Yes sir."

"Thank you," Bubba thanked her and he, Marshall and Lorn stood up as the waitress went to talk to the manager. "Not tonight, Cake."

"Wait!" Fionna exclaimed. "We really do appreciate what you've done for us. We will definitely go to your shows tomorrow. There's no need for you to do this!"

"What kind of men would we be if we let two beautiful ladies sleep in the cold snow in the woods?" Marshall smirked at them.

"Honestly it's okay. We've done this for years. We're used to it! We'll be fine!" Cake lied. Though they have survived out in the cold for years, they barely live through it. Fionna remembered the years when she or Cake were sick and almost died from the cold. It's been extremely tough for them. These three men are about to save their lives for a second time but the blonde seriously thought they've helped them enough and she doesn't want to seem like beggars to them.

"No," Marshall said firmly. "It's going to colder than ever tonight and you will be spending the night under a roof."

The manager of the salon, a man in his late forties, came up to them and led them through the door. Bubba put on his small top hat as the icy fingers of the winter reached through the door. Shivers ran through the bodies of the girls as they huddled together for warmth. They walked out of the bar together until Lorn grabbed Cake, opened up his coat and pulled her into it. Fionna felt a heavy but warm weight on her shoulders. Marshall draped his black jacket on her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Before she could protest for him being too kind, he pulled her close to his chest. Fionna blushed and basked in the warmth his body provided. She wrapped an arm around his waist as he steered her towards the next building.

"This way!" Bubba's voice shouted somewhere in front of them. Fionna had her face buried in Marshall's chest and relied on him for direction. Seconds later, she no longer felt the ruthless wind but the warmth of the inside of the building. The blonde sighed as the warmth spread to red cheeks and then her fingers. Bubba shut the door as soon as all of them were safely inside. "Wow. It's brutal out there. I'm glad you two will have a roof over your head tonight."

Fionna couldn't agree more with the strawberry blonde man. "This way to your rooms," the manager said and started towards the stairs.

"This is where we say good night," Marshall said. "We have to get back into town before this wind gets worse and blow our horses away. We'll see you in crowds right Fionna?"

"If you look hard enough," Fionna smiled, her cheeks still red from the cold, and handed him back his coat. Marshall wiped the blonde locks from her face and placed them on behind her ear, making the red on her face brighten.

"You can bet I'll be looking for you," he laughed then put his coat on.

"Thank you," the blonde heard Cake mumble to Lorn. She knew the brown haired girl hated the cold and wanted nothing to do with it. Lorn nodded and smiled at her. Fionna went over and wrapped her arms around her adoptive sister. Cake placed an arm around her shoulders as the men made their way to the door.

"Thank you for everything and we will see you tomorrow!" the blonde called out to them.

"It was a pleasure to meet the both of you. We look forward to seeing in our audience tomorrow!" Bubba returned as he, Marshall and Lorn braced themselves against the winter wind outside.

Once the door shut behind them, Fionna and Cake turned around and followed the manager up the stairs. "This will be your room for tonight," he gestured at a door down the hall.

"Would you like for breakfast to be delivered to you in the morning?"

"No that's okay, we'll just make our way back to the salon," Cake replied politely.

"Alright. We serve breakfast at nine."

"We'll be there." The manager nodded at Cake's reply and bid them a good night before going back down the stairs. Fionna opened the door with the key he gave them and walked inside. There was a bed in the middle and a bathroom on the side.

The blonde jumped onto the bed and snuggled under the sheets. Cake soon joined her and giggled at the warmth in their toes. How long has it been since they last slept safely in the warmth with a roof over their heads?

"You like him don't you?" Cake smiled knowingly to her sister. She laughed at the red hue that immediately spread through her face.

"What are you-"

"Oh please, Fionna. I'm not blind I can see you like him. I've never seen you blush so much around another person. You like that Marshall Lee don't you?"

The blonde flushed. Marshall Lee was a very handsome man and Fionna couldn't help but feel safe and protected in his arms. The blonde shook her head. What was she thinking? "What about Lorn? You've taken quite the liking to him!" she countered to her 'sister'.

"Wha-what?" Cake stuttered. The blonde smiled triumphantly. "Oh it doesn't matter. Cake began hiding the blush on her own face. "Let's get some sleep so we have plenty of energy tomorrow." The blonde smiled and snuggled deeper in to the blankets, falling asleep in no time at all.

* * *

"Cake, hurry! Everyone is gathered over there! The parade is going to start soon!" Fionna exclaimed excitedly and ran to through the crowd. Her bun was bouncing up and down as she was in excitement.

"Fionna, wait! Let's not get separated!" Cake yelled after her, struggling to keep up with the younger girl. The snow from the previous night covered London in a blanket of white. The streets were cleared, anticipating the oncoming members of the Cirque du Celestia.

The blonde stopped and waited for the elder. As soon as she saw her, she grabbed her hand and practically dragged her through the crowd. Seconds later, the music began. The sounds of accordions, bells, guitars, drums and trumpets rang out from around the corner of the street, unseen by the girls. Part of the crowd cheered as the parade came around the corner where Fionna and her 'sister 'stood. Wanting to get a full view of the Sunlight Performance before it passed them, Fionna dragged Cake to the front and stood behind a couple of children.

At last the blonde was able to lay eyes on the colors and enthusiasm of the show. The members of the performance with incredible finesse, each showing off their skills as the crowd erupted in cheers. Fionna wished she had an eye for each of the twelve performers in the parade. There were two children that looked to be related, maybe even twins, riding around in unicycles while laughing and smiling at the crowd. Three dancers in big skirts, a pink one, an orange one and a rainbow colored one, danced around the troupe with bells attached to their wrists, ankles and hips. A man juggling knives and swords of various kinds made the crowd hold their breath in awe. He was followed by a tall skinny man who was bending his limbs in impossible ways and doing cartwheels then pulled out a viola and joined in the music. At the very back of the parade, a lion roared with a woman on its back. The king of the jungle was followed by an elephant with a seal on its back, a couple monkeys dressed in red, a tiger, a bear and a lioness.

"Look who's leading the parade. I guess that makes him the ringmaster, huh?" Cake whispered to the blonde.

Fionna looked to the oncoming parade and found Marshall Lee dancing in step with the music. He was wearing a black top hat with a red pattern of a kingly crown around the base and the same regalia as last night. A black and silver mask framed around his eyes and covered the top side of his face. His fingers danced over the strings of a red guitar strapped over his shoulder. As his fingers danced over the strings of a red guitar in the shape of an axe, Bubba danced beside him, playing the accordion. He was wearing a white and gold mask was dressed in a light pink suit and a purple vest. Lorn was walking behind them with ten feet tall legs and was playing a trumpet. A man with a drum strapped over his shoulders marched behind them while beating it with two mallets of fire. He raised one of the mallets to his face, took a deep breath and blew fire to the sky, making the crowd grow wild.

The blonde looked around the crowd. Smiles were on everyone's faces as the performers of the circus danced before them. "Oof! Oh I'm sorry sir!" she heard Cake apologize to a man after he bumped into him. Fionna turned around to see a giant of a man with slicked back jet black hair and a scowl on his face.

"Do watch were you're going little girl," he growled and pushed through the crowd. The two girls glared daggers at his back and didn't noticed the ringmaster approach them.

"Well, well. Look who made an appearance!" Marshall Lee said joyfully as the blonde's cerulean eyes met his deep ebony ones. He squatted down to the children separating the two of them after slinging the guitar over his back. The little boy and girl stared up at him with bright eyes, waiting for his surprise. Marshall Lee took off his hat and reached inside it. He pulled out a toy train and a doll then gave them to the children who started to jump up and down in joy. The raven haired man then stood his full height and placed the hat back on his head. He bowed to the blonde and offered his hand to her.

"Uh, Marshall? What are you…?" Fionna stuttered, confused.

"Do you trust me?" Was he seriously asking her that?

The blonde hesitated for a moment. He was a complete stranger, yet… "Yes," she smiled then took his hand. He pulled her out to the street and she dragged Cake along with her.

"Hey! Fionna wait!" Cake started but quieted down when Lorn kneeled down to normal height and picked her up. He placed the brown haired girl on his back and rose up to the full height of his stilts then started playing once more. Cake hung on to his shoulders and enjoyed the view from up top.

Fionna laughed as Marshall brought her in the front of the parade. She felt joy bubble up inside as the raven haired man beamed at her and began to skip in the step, playing a joyful, upbeat tune on his guitar. The blonde let out a laugh and began to dance along with him, lifting her skirt so as not to step on it. The two children on the unicycles rode around her in circles as she laughed and danced to the music. Marshall, Bubba and the tall skinny man jumped into the circle and danced along with the blonde. Fionna couldn't help but laugh at the joy she was experiencing.

Then the strumming of the guitar disappeared and Fionna found herself in Marshall Lee's arms. He had one hand intertwined fingers with hers while the other traveled up her back and to her bun and took out the pin keeping it together to let her golden locks cascade down her back in waves. The blonde flushed as the young man smirked and led her to a tango. Fionna placed her other hand on his shoulder as his hand fell to the small of her back. She found the steps easily, having experiences with dancing with her father over what felt like a lifetime ago. Marshall led her to the beat of the music and Fionna lost herself in the joy and ecstasy the circus brought with it.

Marshall spun her out of his arms and she continued to dance in graceful movements before the crowd. They clapped and cheered her on. She felt two large palms on either side of her waist and then she was lifted to the sky. Marshall picked her up and spun her around as she pointed her toe and let out a small giggle. The man set her back on the ground with an arm around her waist so she was facing him. With a flick of his wrist, a white daffodil appeared on his hand. He put it in her hair and tucked her bangs behind her ear. He touched his forehead against hers for a lingering second then began playing his guitar again.

Cake came out of nowhere and playfully shoved the blonde. "Hey!" the blonde laughed and chased after her. She wondered how she got down from Lorn's back but didn't spend more than a second thinking about it. The two of them danced with the three female dancers who showed them the steps and welcomed them to the parade. Fionna beamed at the crowd. Everyone was happy and clapped along with the music. Marshall and Bubba brought in kids from the crowds and danced with them, even allowing their parents to join. The blonde smiled when she saw Marshall produce a bouquet of flowers from his pocket, hand it to an old lady in a rocking chair and gave her a small peck on the cheek. Bubba did the same with a little girl then went back to the parade. Both girls, young and old, blushed deeply and waved as the young men danced away.

The parade danced down the street and turned a corner where an enormous and colorful tent loomed over the buildings. A carnival was set up with stalls for food and prizes. There were games and rides for everyone on the way to the tent. The crowd, who began to follow the parade cheered at the sight of the carnival. The Sunlight Performers went into the tent as everyone else scrambled to explore what the carnival had to offer.

Fionna and Cake stopped in front of the tent unsure whether they should go in or not. The blonde wanted to experience all the fun the carnival had but knew she couldn't. Money was still an issue. She smiled sadly as her eyes took in all the lights.

"What's with the long faces?" A voice behind them made them jump. Marshall and Lorn came back out from the tent. Marshall seemed to know exactly what they were thinking. "Don't worry, the only thing in this carnival that requires money is the Moonlight Performance. Since that performance alone gets so much money, everything else is free. Well, except for the food."

Lorn walked over to Cake and signaled something to her. "Sure! I'd love to!" Cake exclaimed when he put his hand back down.

"Wait, you understood him?" Marshall asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes. I used to work with the deaf children back at the orphanage. I taught them sign language."

"Oh, that's impressive."

"Thank you!" Cake turned to her 'sister'. "Fionna, Lorn offered to show me around the carnival. Why don't you stay here with Marshall?" She smile suspiciously and winked at her. The blonde glared at her as she walked away with Lorn.

"That doesn't sound like a bad idea," Marshall smiled to the girl. "So, Miss Fionna. What shall be our first stop today?"

"I'm not sure," the blonde looked around. "There are so many things to see. I don't know where to start."

"Well, the Moonlight Performance doesn't start until it gets dark and I really don't have anything to prepare. We have about six hours so we have plenty time. Mind if I take the lead?" Marshall offered his arm to her.

"Not at all!" Fionna smiled and happily hooked her arm around his elbow.

The raven haired man led the opposite direction Lorn took Cake and towards the games. He took off his mask and placed in his pocket. "That was some incredible dancing you did back in the parade. Your sister too. Where did you learn to move like that? I also remember your fighting skills the other day. I've never seen a lady fight like that."

"Our mothers were instructors at a dance studio. So being their daughters, they passed down that talent. Our fathers taught us some self defense. They were in the army and we didn't have any brothers so they taught us."

"Do you like dancing?"

"Yes I do. It's liberating and exhilarating, especially underwater."

"You can dance underwater?" Marshall exclaimed. "That's impressive!"

"Thanks," the blonde looked away to hide her blush. "So Marshall, what do you do in the show?"

"Well, I conduct it. I am the ringmaster after all. As you saw in the parade I can do a little bit of magic tricks." He unhooked his arm with Fionna's and wrapped it around her shoulder. He then proceeded to place a finger behind her ear then a coin appeared in between his thumb and finger. "I know the first thing we're going to do," he whispered softly into her ear then led her towards a booth with lots of large hats hanging around it and tons of bottles on a table in the middle.

"Hey, Marshall! Great job at the parade today, you too miss!" A lady with short brown hair and a green dress greeted the two as they approached.

"Thanks Lollipop Girl," Marshall chuckled.

"My name is not Lollipop Girl! It's Lottie Pope!"

"Sounds the same to me," Marshall teased and grasped Fionna's shoulder. "Anyways this here is Fionna Nightingdale."

"My, aren't you a lovely young lady. She's a keeper Marshall. Don't lose her," Lottie smiled as the blonde blushed.

"It's her first time in a carnival," Marshall ignored the last comment. Fionna looked up at him. Was his face a little red? "So I'm showing her around and you get the honor of being her first impression."

"Well I hope I do a good job. The game here is simple Ms. Fionna. You simple have to toss this ring," she held up a yellow ring about the size of the opening of a can, "and make it around one of the bottles. You get three tries. Think you can do it?"

The blonde nodded eagerly and stepped forward. Marshall stood back and watched as Fionna took one of the rings and tossed it. It missed. She grabbed a blue ring and tried again but ended up with the same result. She took the last ring and took a deep breath. She aimed for the one closest to the front and tossed it. The ring landed around it and spun around a couple times.

"We have a winner! Pick your prize." The blonde looked around. There were so many hats. She wanted to try them all on but she wouldn't know where to start.

"What about this one?" Marshall held up a woven hat with bunny ears. He placed on Fionna's head and looked at the woman in booth.

"I think it's perfect." The blonde nodded in agreement and smiled at the warmth the hat provided for her head.

"Congratulations Ms. Fionna and good luck on the show tonight Marshall!" called after them as they walked away.

"Thanks!" Marshall called over his shoulder then took the blonde's hand. "Come on Fionna. We have hours more to waste and I want you to see the carnival at its fullest." He led her around, making her play games and try different kinds of food. The blonde was particularly fond of the candy apples Marshall bought for her. They met many different people and somehow their names were associated with sweets. "The circus is called the Cirque du Celestia but this carnival is known as the Candy Carnival Kingdom," the ringmaster laughed when the blonde asked him about it. They met a very muscular man who was actually a sweet man with the name of Mr. Cupcake. He offered a large hammer to Marshall and challenged him to beat his record. A tall pole with a bell on top had increments written on it with 1000 on the very top was his event. Mr. Cupcake's record was 900.

"What do I get if I beat it?" Marshall chuckled as he took off his coat and placed it around Fionna.

"I will take your place with cleaning up after the Moonlight Performance."

"Deal," Marshall smirked as he raised the large hammer over his head and brought it crashing down on the platform. A small weight shot up and hit the bell, making a loud ring echo through the carnival. "I'm glad you'll be helping out tonight Mr. Cupcake."

The muscular man's eyes were wide open then his mustache shook as he started laughing. "Well, it's about time you beat me!"

"Hey!" Marshall faked a hurt expression and led Fionna back to the tent. Fionna gawked at what the raven haired man just did. Mr. Cupcake was at least twice his size in muscle mass. How was this man able to beat his record? "Let's get back to the tent. The show is going to start soon and you're going to want front row seats."

"Why is it called the 'Cirque du Celestia'?" the blonde asked its ringmaster as they walked.

"I'm glad you asked. The word 'celestial' pertains to anything in the visible sky," Marshall looked up and sighed. The blonde followed his gaze then marveled at the bright full moon watching over them. "In the case of our circus, it means the moon and the stars. It's more of a symbol actually. We travel to places without much joy in it and bring a little light, just like the moon and stars do to the evening sky."

"Well, you guys definitely brought some light into this place. Cake and I have been here for a month and this was the only time I've ever seen anyone smile."

"We heard that this place was the most miserable in the country and we were right. No one here was happy until the parade. You wouldn't happen to know why, would you?"

"Well nothing exciting happens here."

"We can change that," he smiled. The two of them stayed quiet until they reached the tent. "You go through here. I have to go around to the back since I'm part of the show."

"Can I come see you after the show?" Fionna blurted out.

Marshall was taken aback by the question then smiled. "Of course." He took a step back, bowed down and kissed Fionna's hand. The blonde blushed deeply as turned around and walked away.

"Fionna!" the blonde turned to see Cake running up to her. "How was your day? Nice hat by the way and whose jacket is that?"

"Thanks! Oh it's, um, Marshall's," the blonde blushed and wrapped the jacket tighter around her petite frame. "My day was great. It was fun. Where's Lorn?"

"He went around to the back entrance. Let's go inside! I really want to see what they're going to do!"

* * *

"Ladies and gentlemen, we of the circus would like to thank all of you for spending your holidays with us! My name is Marshall Lee Kingville and I will be your Ringmaster tonight. Now, without further ado, I present to you the Moonlight Performance of the Cirque du Celestia!" Marshall Lee the Ringmaster's introduction was met by a roar from the crowd. Fionna and Cake cheered along as the lights dimmed in the tent. The audience was seated in semicircle bleachers in front of the raven haired man. Fionna's bright blue eyes met with his ebony ones behind the masked. He winked at her then introduced the first act.

"Tonight, we will start with the twins, Beemo and Geemo!" From the back of the tent, a little girl and boy, about six years old, rode out on their unicycles. Both of them wore matching outfits: a frilly little blue green dress for the girl and a cute little suit of the same color for the boy. Their hair was dyed the same color as their outfits. The boy, Beemo, had short hair while his twin, Geemo, had two curly ponytails bouncing around the sides of her head. The crowd cheered as they rode around the and waved at them. Then the twins started to circle around Marshall Lee, who, by rolling back his shoulders and stretching his arms into a "T", somehow produced ten pins, five of them standing on each of his outstretched arms and earned a gasp from the crowd. He tossed them into the air then hustled out of the way as the twins caught them then juggled. At first they both juggled five each but then they tossed them to each other, juggling all ten together.

"Next I would like to introduce two men that stand firm against fear and danger then learned how to control it. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the Master of Fire, Ignatius Blazen, and the Master of Blades, Finn Mertens!" Fire erupted around a platform in the back left, making half of the audience jump. They gasped as the fire died down to reveal two men. Both of them only had a pair of loose fitting black pants that came down to their ankles. Ignatius Blazen was juggling six flaming torches, the fire illuminated his reddish orange hair that stood in a spike, making it look as if it was fire itself. Finn Mertens had short blonde hair and was juggling six curved daggers. The two of them slowly walked down the stairs leading from the platform. They continued walking until they were in the middle of where the twins were juggling their bowling pins. Torches and blades flew in patterns while the bowling pins were tossed around them. The crowd roared.

From behind the curtain came Lorn on his stilts. He was carrying a colorful box, about the size of a large hat box, and set it down on the ground after kneeling down. "Lorn Chromic is a man over ten feet tall and can even touch the sky!" Suddenly, the front side of the box fell open as Lorn stood his 'full height'. The tall, skinny man that danced with Fionna earlier unfolded himself from inside the box. The blonde gasped. How did that tall man fit inside that box without breaking anything? "Jake Dogson, also known as the Human Rubber Band, has the ability of contorting his body into impossible shapes and forms!" Marshall introduced and clasped shoulders with Jake. The Human Rubber Band had dark blonde hair, almost pure yellow, and wore fitting clothing the same color as his hair.

Suddenly, a woman with light blonde hair in a rainbow dress jumped from a small platform near the top of the tent and landed on a large trampoline. "Lillian Rainica is our trampoline acrobat and along with Francine Sparx," a red haired woman in puffy orange clothing, a trapeze artist, caught Lillian and tossed her higher into the air. "And Bonnibelle Shugarston," a pink haired woman, another trapeze artist in pink puffy clothing, caught Lillian and together they swung over the crowd then both of them twirled in the air and landed back down on the trampoline followed by Francine. "The three of them make up the Cirque du Celestia's acrobat troupe!" The crowd applauded and whistled for them as they touchdown on the ground and bowed.

"Last but not least is our animal trainer, Marceline Abadeer!" A lion roared from behind the curtain followed by a bear's then an elephant's. They stalked behind a woman whose long jet black hair was held up in a high ponytail. She wore a short red and black dress with knee-high boots. The ringmaster took out what looked like three rubber balls from his pocket and thew it to the center of the stage. With a snap from his gloved fingers, the balls disappeared in puffs of smoke. When the smoke cleared, three large balls, about the size of a young man, took the places of the smaller ones. With a crack from her whip, the lion, elephant and bear stalked towards the balls and jumped on top of them. Each of the large animals balanced on their hind feet on the balls while monkeys danced around. The crowd cheered and cheered. All the acts have been introduced but Fionna can't help but feel that something was missing. What about Bubba?

"These skilled ladies and gents, along with myself have a holiday special to present to you," Marshall Lee's voice rang out once more. "Under direction of Bubba Goldfax, our Shadow Silhouette Artist, the Cirque du Celestia would like to present," The lights dimmed to almost nothing. A giant curtain fell in front of the audience then a light from behind it brought out the shadows of all twelve members of the circus and Marceline's animals. "A Christmas Night at the Circus," Marshall finished dramatically as everyone danced behind the curtain, the shadows showing the outlines of their bodies. The crowd gasped as the shadows of the performers bent and came together and formed different shapes. The first was a Christmas tree with a top hat, who, the blonde knew, belonged to the Ringmaster, on top instead of a star. Then the shadows separated, some becoming larger and others becoming smaller, to form the scene of a little girl opening a box and the shadow a cat, the lion, coming out of it.

Fionna couldn't believe the many pictures the performers could make just with their shadows. Her breath was taken away when she saw the image of a family gathered around a Christmases tree and sitting by a roaring fire (arms and palms were waving around to show this image) and opening presents. Something heavy fell on the blonde's heart, a tightening feeling. She remembered the last Christmas she spent with her family. Cake and her family decided to have dinner and open their presents with them. The two little girls were ecstatic that Santa left presents under their tree. A tear slid down Fionna's cheek without her permission. She jumped at the sound of hundreds of hands erupting into applause and people getting to their feet. The blonde missed the last apart of the show and now it's over. The lights came back on and the curtain was pulled back to reveal the circus troupe lined up side by side and bowing. Fionna and Cake joined the applause and stayed while everyone else filed out of the tent.

"Cake," Fionna said, tugging at her sister's sleeve. "I'm gonna go congratulate Marshall. You should go find Lorn."

The brown haired girl blushed and mumbled an agreement before climbing down the bleachers. The blonde chuckled to herself as she watched Cake go down to Lorn and sign something to him. She heard footsteps thundering up the bleachers towards her. She turned her head to see the Ringmaster climbing up to see her. Fionna smiled, blushed slightly, then climbed down in order to meet him halfway.

"So, my little bunny, did you enjoy the show?" He teased when they met.

"It was fantastic Marshall!" The blonde laughed. "What do you mean 'your little bunny'?"

The raven haired man took off his mask and tagged at the ears of the blonde's hat. She completely forgot she was wearing that. "You know you could've chosen any hat. I just suggested this one because it was warm. You didn't have choose it."

"No I like it. It's cute and warm," Fionna smiled. Marshall returned the smile and led her down to the entrance of the tent where they ran into Mr. Cupcake.

"Ah Marshall Lee!" He laughed and clasped hands with the ringmaster. "Another flawless performance. You know little miss," he said turning to the blonde by Marshall's side. "I've been to every performance this man done and the performers of this circus never ceases to blow my mind."

"Uhh haha he's just saying that," Marshall chuckled modestly while scratching the back of his head. The blonde noticed his cheeks were turning slightly red. "Hey blue," he said turning to the blonde. "Ever rode on a ferris wheel before?"

'Um, no," Fionna hung her head.

"Well how about we fix that? They don't need me here to clean up since Mr. Cupcake is going to help out," Marshall smiled.

"Yes. I made that promise and I shall keep my word," Mr. Cupcake vowed.

"Thanks!" Marshall called as he draped an arm around Fionna's shoulder and led her out of the tent and towards the large circular ride near the edge of the carnival. The cold blast hit Fionna and she was thankful for the raven hair man's trenchcoat around. However that did not stop her from snuggling under Marshall's arm. The ringmaster chuckled and hugged the young woman closer to him. "Here we are," he said as they stopped in front of the brightly colored ride. "Hey Starchy!"

A short stout man with a large black mustache, wearing a ball cap and a tux with striped pants, jumped from behind a metal box and greeted the tall ringmaster. "Good evening Ringmaster! Excellent performance as always!"

"You're too kind," Marshall replied. "Are you closing for the night or do you have time for one more ride? I'd like to take this lady here for her first ride."

"You're quite the lady killer, ain't he miss?" Starchy laughed as the young man and woman blushed and avoided eye contact with one another. "'Heard you've been showing her around the Candy Carnival. Well, I was closing down for the night but a ferris wheel ride is the best way to put a finale on a night with your girl. Only for you, Ringmaster."

"Wait, we're not- ugh never mind," the raven haired man blushed and steered Fionna into one of the cars. "Strap yourself in," he grunted as he squeezed in with the blonde and strapped himself in.

Starchy pressed a button on the metal box and the ride jolted alive, causing the blonde jump and grab the Ringmaster's hand. The man let out a deep laugh and entertained his fingers with hers. The blonde sighed and snuggled into his shoulder. She felt Marshall Lee tense in surprise then relax the second later. The long metal arms of the wheel lifted their car up into the sky. The temperature was dropping the higher they went, causing the blonde to shiver even under the coat. The man removed his fingers from the blonde's and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. He rubbed her arm as a means of warmth and comfort.

"The show was amazing," Fionna whispered. The raven haired man slouched down and pulled the blonde closer to him. Fionna snuggled into his chest. Her arms wrapped around to his shoulder as his did to her waist. "What are you guys going to do know that the show is done?" The blonde whispered softly, afraid of the answer.

The Ringmaster removed his hat with his other hand then placed it on his lap. He ran his fingers through his raven hair before answering the blonde. "The people here are happier now. I guess, we move on to the next town, the circus I mean."

The blonde felt something grip heart, another heavy weight on her chest made her eyes sting. What did she honestly expect?

"Fionna?" Marshall sighed and began stroking her golden locks.

"Ye-yeah?" She replied trying to keep her voice calm.

"Do you like it here? In this town?"

"Well there's work. It's not so bad here without the snow. Cake and I can always pay for the things we need and-"

"How about coming with us?" Marshall blurted out.

The blonde sat up straight and stared at his face. It had nervousness and anxiousness etched onto it, along with a reddish hue. His deep ebony eyes reflected the light from the ferris wheel. "Wait, you want me to-?"

"I'd like for you and Cake to come with us. I mean, the circus is a great place and the two of you have great talent. You'll feel right at home. You'll be welcomed by the rest. You got along with them during the parade. Personally, I think Lorn has taken an interest on your sister," he rambled out nervously.

"Wait, really?" Fionna couldn't believe what she was hearing. She and Cake, in the circus? To perform with the troupe? To have somewhere they belong and people want them.

"Yeah," the Ringmaster sat up straight and scratched his head. "I've already talked to the others about it. They feel that you and your sister would make a fine addition to the family."

"Family," the blonde sighed. How long has it been since she's said that word? She sighed happily. Can she and her sister finally find a place they can call home? Fionna felt Marshall's eyes on her, waiting for an answer. She opened her mouth to answer but the ride ended in a jolt. The two of them got out of the car to find the rest of the performers waiting for them. Cake pushed through them and Fionna ran into her arms.

"I have fantastic news Fionna!" She squealed happily.

"I think I already know," Fionna smile and hugged her. She turned to Marshall who had a smile on his handsome face. "I think you already know the answer."

"Tell me anyways," he smirked and walked towards her.

"I'd love to join the circus."

Marshall placed a large palm behind her head and planted a small kiss on her forehead. Her face flushed and the troupe cheered. She turned towards them to see their warm smiles welcoming her. Cake smiled along with them, watching her with teary green eyes.

"We're home Fionna. We're home."


	2. Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone!

In case you guys haven't notice, this will be a holiday's story. I will upload on holidays. Review for any requests you want to happen in the story or if there is no holiday and you just want another chapter. Happy 2013!

* * *

"Hey Fionna," a woman with jet black hair reaching to her ankles shoved her head passed the curtain and caught the blonde's attention. "Ten minutes. Break a leg!"

"Thanks Marceline!" The nineteen year old blonde replied and smiled at the animal tamer. "You too!"

Marceline Abadeer, the animal trainer, beamed at her and disappeared behind the curtains. Four other women popped in where she disappeared. One had dyed bubblegum pink hair while another had bright red hair. Another had light blonde hair while the other had light brown hair. All of them had similar outfits that matched their hair color, except for the blonde one who had a rainbow dress. Fionna Nightingdale beamed at the acrobats of the circus. Cake Michealli, the light brown haired woman in a white and brown striped dress greeted her adoptive sister and went over to where she sat to embrace her.

"Ready for our first show?" Cake beamed at her sister.

"Yep, we've practicing for a long time for this. How about you? How do you feel?"

"Excited and nervous!" Cake replied unsurely yet eagerly. "Especially since the audience is, well, you know."

"I'm sure you'll do great!" Fionna smiled at her 'sister'.

"Well of course she will!" The bubblegum pink haired woman said and hugged Cake.

"Bonnibelle's right. We've been practicing non stop with her so she'll do wonderful! Right Lillian?" The red haired woman, Francine Sparx, smiled. The light blonde woman in the rainbow striped dress smiled and nodded.

"Well, we'll leave you to finish getting ready and I think I saw Marshall on his way here," Cake winked at her sister while Lillian Rainica, Bonnibelle Shugarston and Francine smirked at her blush.

And right on cue, Marshall Lee Kingville, a tall, well built man in his mid twenties opened up the curtain to find five ladies staring at him. "Am I interrupting something?" His tenor asked jokingly.

"Speak of the devil and he shall appear," Bonnibelle mumbled but the raven haired man heard her.

"You were talking about me?"

"Nope, we were just leaving," Cake said quickly as she and the other acrobats hustled out while giggling.

Marshall Lee watched them leave and gave the blonde a questioning look when they disappeared. The blonde chuckled and shrugged her shoulders. Fionna got up on her feet as the raven haired man closed the distance between them. "It's almost show time. How are you feeling?"

The blonde shrugged and rubbed her arm. "Very excited, and nervous," she answered, not liking the two emotions crashing in her stomach. She was too busy worrying about the show to notice Marshall Lee coming even closer.

"Listen, you'll do great! You dance with all the finesse of a swan in the water and look at yourself," he grabbed the blonde's shoulders and turned her gently to face the mirror.

Fionna could barely recognize the girl staring back at her, much less believe that it was indeed her. The girl's golden hair was curled and tied up to a loose pony tail. Shells and sparkling bows made her hair shine even more so beautifully. Loose strands flowed down in waves that framed around her face. The shocked face was covered with a light layer of make up, eye shadow and lipstick. From her shoulders hung a beautiful light blue dress with lots of white lace ribbons flowing around it. The dress fell down to her knees and her legs were covered by white stockings.

Large palms settled on her waist as she felt the raven haired man's breath tickle her shoulder. He lowered his head so his cheek was nestled against hers. The blonde watched as a red hue spread on the girl in mirror's cheeks as heat spread through her own cheeks. She leaned onto his head, astonished by how good he looked clean shaven and in his royal regalia as King of the Circus, the Ringmaster of the Cirque du Celestia.

"Do you see yourself, Fionna? That's you in the mirror," the Ringmaster removed his mask and spun the blonde young woman into his arms. Marshall Lee wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close as her fingers gripped on the back of his suit. Fionna's bright blue eyes sparkled as she looked up to the deep and gentle midnight black eyes of the Ringmaster. The blonde's eyes closed as the raven haired man planted a sweet kiss on her forehead. They opened again when she felt his lips leave her skin. Marshall tucked a strand of hair behind her ear then traced her cheek down to her chin. He lowered his head down to her as she tilted hers up to meet his. Her fingers tightened around around the back of his suit as his lips brushed against hers.

The moment ended all to soon. The music of the circus blasted out followed by the boom of the applause from the crowd, making both of them jump. Marshall sighed sadly then smiled to the blonde. He hugged her close and laid his chin on the top of her head. "Show time Blue. Break a leg." He placed the mask that Fionna has grown fond of back over his eyes and winked at the blonde before disappearing behind the curtain. The blonde sighed and stared at her reflection. Maybe, just for tonight, she will believe that the reflection was really her. She will believe that for the show, for her adoptive sister and for the Ringmaster.

"Ladies and gentlemen of London, we are but hours away from the New Year!" Marshall's announcement echoed throughout the large red tent, followed by even louder cheers. Fionna smiled at the uncanny ability of the Ringmaster to rile up a crowd. The blonde made her way to the back of the main curtain. The other members of the circus were doing final preparations as the Ringmaster opened up the Moonlight Performance. Finn Mertens, the Master of Blades, inspected his swords and daggers as Ignatius Blazen, Master of Fire, inspected his own tools. Bonnibelle and Lillian fixed each other's dresses while Cake and Francine cleaned up each other's make up. Fionna made her way passed Marceline as she brushed her lion's mane. The blonde smiled as Lorn Chromic climbed onto his stilts and Jake Dogson stretched his lanky arms and legs. She found a strawberry blonde man with rectangular spectacles waiting behind the opening of the curtain.

"Will you be the first act to be introduced?" the blonde smiled at him.

"No, actually, I will be helping Marshall in introducing all of you. I'm like an assistant Ringmaster when things require more than one man," Bubba Goldfax smiled to the blonde. "You look magnificent Miss Fionna. Are you ready to perform for the royal audience?

"Thank you Bubba. You are looking sharp in your suit as always," the blonde smiled at the man's uniform of a pink suit and a purple vest along with a matching hat and his white and gold mask. She took a deep breath. "It's an honor to perform for the King and Queen of England."

"Thank you. You and your sister are very brave. Are you sure you two want to perform tonight? The audience today is not exactly our usual haul. It's quite a good amount of pressure, especially on your first performance. We can always change the acts out. All you have to do is let either me or Marshall know."

Fionna sighed. "No. Cake and I have been working hard and we will perform tonight."

Bubba smiled. "And your hard work, as well as ours, will be rewarded by the applause of the King and Queen."

"To help in the introductions of the acts, I present to you, our Shadow Silhouette Artist, Bubba Goldfax!" Marshall's tenor boomed from the other side of the curtain.

"Well, here I go," Bubba smiled before ducking into the spotlight. He was greeted with a loud cheer from the crowd.

"Fionna?" the blonde twirled around to find the smiling face and joyful green eyes of her sister.

"Cake," Fionna sighed and embraced her sister once more. "I feel so happy here." Tears formed on her blue eyes. "It feels like we're back home with mom and dad and..." the tears began to flow continuously.

"Shh...I know, I know baby. Joining this circus has been the best decision we've made. This is our home now. This is our family." Cake whispered motherly and stroked the blonde's back. "Now is not the time to get emotional. Marshall has saved you for last. Don't mess up your make up before then. When I finish my act, I'll help you get ready okay?"

The blonde nodded and wiped her tears. Cake hugged her tightly and steered her back towards her 'room'. Fionna sat back down and looked at her reflection. Only a week ago, she and Cake were struggling in the cold clutches of the London winter. It's only been a week since the Ringmaster saved her life and invited her and her sister to join the Cirque du Celestia, to join their family.

...One week earlier...

"Since you're going to be part of the family, you should get to know the rest of its members," Marshall chuckled as the performers of the Cirque du Celestia and its newest members huddled together and walked to the tent from the ferris wheel.

"How about we wait until we get back to the tent and out of this cold?" Bonnibelle laughed. The rest laughed in agreement. The raven haired man laughed with them and led the way back to the large red tent with the blonde under his arm. When they got back to the tent, the smile dropped off their faces and silence loomed over the group. Fionna looked up to the ringmaster and saw a grim expression on his face and anger spreading into his eyes. He pushed the blonde behind him as Bubba stepped forward.

Fionna peered over Marshall's shoulders and saw a tall heavy set man in an important suit and a familiar scowl. Where has the blonde seen him before? She felt hands on her shoulder and looked to see Bonnibelle with a scared look on her face. Fionna, along with her sister, was pushed into the back curtain where she saw each of the performers come out upon introduction. Once everyone was through, Ignatius and Finn grabbed the curtains and shut them. The blonde saw Marshall Lee, Bubba and Lorn approach the man. She also got a glimpse of a man rushing into the tent and flinching at the intensity between the two black haired men.

"Fionna," Cake whispered nervously as a memory came rushing back to her. "That man outside, he was the same one that ran into me earlier. The one in the crowd before Marshall pulled us into the parade."

The blonde remembered the memory. How could she forget the sour scowl of the man with the slicked back jet black hair in the midst of all the smiles the parade was giving? "Who exactly is he?" The blonde asked to no one in particular.

"He's my father," Marceline hissed slightly, looking nervous and angry at the same time. "Marshall is my cousin. That makes that man before him his uncle."

"His uncle?" Fionna asked, utterly confused. How could some one who looks incapable of smiling be related to the Ringmaster and the Animal Tamer of a circus whose sole purpose is to bring smiles to places were there weren't any? "Why is he here?"

"Fionna, Cake, you should sit down. This is going to be a long story," Ignatius said as everyone else pulled up pillows for them to sit on. The two girls did as they were told. The other females sat down, Geemo climbed onto Lillian's lap while Beemo walked up to Finn. Fionna noticed that Marceline stayed on her feet and paced off to the side. Then, Ignatius started unfolding the history of the circus.

"Each one of us didn't exactly have a, uh, pleasant passed before we came to this circus, much like the two of you. Which is why spreading smiles is more rewarding for us than anyone else."

"Easier and more successful too," Finn added as he ruffled Beemo's hair.

"I'll start off with mine," Ignatius, about the same age as Francine and Cake, sighed and sat on one of the large bouncy balls scattered all over the place. "I joined this circus two years ago. A year before that, I wasn't the best person around. I, uh, had these two cousins and they weren't very good influence on me as I grew up. We caused lots of trouble around our family. I come from a family of high class merchants where unruly behavior was unacceptable." He paused for bit then sighed. "Thanks to my cousins, I became aggressive and careless. I was the least favorite out of all the children in my village. Then came the day when my cousins came back from prison and convinced me to steal money from the family bank. The sad part was that the security was so bad that we got away with it. It was so easy but something was eating me up inside. I turned myself in and informed on my cousins. I got out years before them. As I passed by their jail cell on my way to freedom, they swore that they would kill me."

Everyone else was quiet. Fionna gulped, afraid to utter a word but let it go. "Ca-can I ask you a question?" The orange haired man nodded. "Your cousins, are they...?"

"They were hung for their crimes. Upon further investigation, the authorities found out they've committed lots of crimes and are wanted in other countries as well and with the Scotland Yard. I regret letting them influence me and, seeing all the children smile after I perform, this circus is just the thing I needed to let go of past mistakes and do some good for the future. I chose to be fire juggler because it taught me control and concentration. If I made a mistake, me or, God forbid, someone else would get burned. I used that as my drive to be successful in my acts. So that I wouldn't hurt anyone anymore." He sighed one more time when he finished his story. Finn grasped his shoulder while others uttered words of comfort. Ignatius thanked them all and smiled.

"Are Marshall, Bubba and Lorn the leaders of this circus?" Cake asked after a moment of silence.

"Yes," Marceline answered. "This circus was Marshall's idea. He convinced Bubba to go along with it. Marshall helped run me away from my father and, with Bubba's help and Lorn's support, found this carnival and we joined it in hopes to create a circus."

Before the ebony haired woman can continue her tale, yelling and screaming came from the other side of the curtain. Fionna recognized the voices as Marshall Lee and his uncle. The Animal Trainer flinched and tore passed the curtains. Everyone else followed her out. Fionna noticed that uncle and nephew stopped arguing as soon as they stepped out. Both were shaking with fury, their bodies were tense. Marshall's hat was on the ground and so was Bubba's. The strawberry blonde man was struggling to hold back the Ringmaster who looked as if he was ready to fight his uncle. Lorn stood between the two men, challenging Marceline's father to make a move.

The heavy set man was breathing heavily and glared at his nephew then his daughter. "You ungrateful wench! I raised you in my home and you thank me by running away with your cousin, a failure of a soldier, and his pathetic politician friend?"

"Raised her? You abused her and ignored her! You only started to pay attention to her when your boss's son decided to marry her! You were going to force her into marrying that jerk in hopes of higher pay!" Marshall roared.

"How dare you talk to me like that! If it weren't for me, my sister, your whore mother, would still be living in the streets with her bastard son!"

Marshall shoved Bubba out of the way and lunged at his Uncle. "Marshall! Stop!" Marceline shrieked as everyone raced towards them. Thankfully, Lorn was able to stop the raven haired man before any damage was done. He pushed the Ringmaster back where Bubba and Jake held him still. Beemo hid his face in the folds of Bonnibelle's skirt as Francine scooped Geemo into her arms. Lorn, Finn, and Ignatius stood in front of Mr. Abadeer, ready to put up a fight if required.

Then Marceline bravely walked up to her father. "Marcy," Marshall whispered, his belligerence disappearing. He took a step towards her, Bubba and Jake let him go, but stopped when she held up a hand.

"What did you hope to accomplish when you came here?" Marceline asked quietly to her father.

"I am taking you back home with me. With the marriage the family company would be saved and-"

"And I would be just another woman for my 'husband' to play with. No, Hunson Abadeer," Marceline hissed. "I'm not going back just so you can use me to get more money. Just like you did to mother!"

"How dare you!" Hunson raised a very muscular arm and brought it down on his daughter. However, it never made impact. Marshall Lee stood between his cousin and his uncle. His knuckles were white as his gripped tightened around Hunson's arm. Fionna was, again, shocked by raven haired man's strength. He made Hunson Abadeer, a giant of a man, seem so weak. Marshall bent back his wrist making the elder man scream in pain. His nephew showed mercy by shoving him back to the ground. Marshall strode up to him and raised his fist.

"Marshall wait!" Fionna had no idea how she got there but she wrapped her arms around the Ringmaster's waist and buried her face between his shoulder blades. "Stop, you're better than this!" The blonde felt the raven haired man take a deep breath then relax his tense muscles. He unwrapped the blonde's arms from him then turned around and pulled the blonde to his chest. Marshall embraced her then turned to Marceline's father.

"You are no longer welcome to the Cirque du Celestia or the Candy Kingdom carnival. Leave and never come back or security will do it's job," Marshall glared at his uncle.

"Security? What can your rag tag team of failures and outcasts, along with the fools of this unnecessary carnival do against me and my company?" Hunson laughed maniacally.

"Would you like to see what we can do with your physique?" A voice said behind him. There stood Mr. Starchy in his tux and stripped pants with the rest of the Candy Kingdom carnival staff. Mr. Cupcake stood behind him, towering over everyone with bulging muscles, and smiled at the circus troupe. "Also, Ms. Marceline, this little kitty sounded like he was hungry and I thought he would like to meet your father."

A lion's roar made the blonde jump. The king of the jungle came out from behind the crowd and, while glaring at Lord Abadeer, made his way towards his mistress. "You won't do anything to me. Even if you are able to hurt me physically, my company will burn this carnival down and I will dance in its ashes!"

"Not quite, Good Sir," the man Fionna saw earlier running into the tent voiced out. He had slicked back blonde hair and he wore a blue suit, a black vest and a red a white striped tie. "I am the manager of this carnival but you may refer to me as Peppermint Butler." He walked passed the heavy set man and stopped in front of the Ringmaster and the blonde. "You have received a message from their majesties, the King and Queen of England." Peppermint Butler handed Marshall a slip of paper. Fionna heard everyone take in a breath as he stepped away from the blonde and unfolded the note. Then he read it out loud;

Marshall Lee Kingville, King of the Circus, Ringmaster of the Cirque du Celestia,

I have heard many delightful things about you and the members of your circus. Earlier today, my wife and I were visiting an old friend of ours that happen to be in the same village as your performance. My children begged to take them to the carnival but I was too busy so I sent them with one of my wife's servants. I deeply regret not accompanying them with my wife. The servant described my children as 'giddy with excitement' when they saw the Sunlight Performance. They described the astounding music, the joyous dancing, a man with ten feet tall legs and lots of animals. My son took particular interest in a lion. They also described how a man with a black mask knelt down to them and pulled out a train and a doll from his hat and gave it to them. Next was all the wonderful little prizes they won at the carnival game. My daughter even came back with the largest Sunday hat I've ever seen. Even as I write this letter to you, my children are going on and on about the Moonlight Performance, even though they were not able to see it through to the end.

This letter is an official request for the Cirque du Celestia to perform in the courtyard of my palace on the eve of the oncoming year. My children enjoyed the performances so much that they begged for this. My wife and I are also intrigued by it. I heard that the purpose of your circus is to bring smiles to all. For that you have earned my respect. However, I have a challenge for you. My father is an old and cold man. It has been many years since I last saw him smile. Make him smile and I shall donate a handsome amount of gold to your carnival to support your cause as well as a Royal Grant to perform where ever in England the carnival wishes to do so. If you would like to perform in other countries or even in America, please ask and I would more than gladly give a Royal Grant for your smile sharing carnival.

Please send your reply with the Royal Messenger. I look forward to having you, your troupe and the carnival staff as honored guests and as well as the main performance for my court.

Sincerely,

The King of England.

"The King of England," Marceline whispered, staring wide eyed at her cousin, "wants us to be the main performance for his New Year's Festival at the Palace?"

"Yes," the raven haired man replied breathlessly. "The King and Queen wants us to perform for them!" Marshall yelled in excitement. He grabbed Fionna by the waist and hoisted her up in the air, spinning in happiness. The blonde grabbed on to his shoulders as to not fly off and giggled along his contagious laughter. Cheers erupted from the other performers as well as the carnival staff members.

"As honored guests of the majesties of England," Peppermint turned to Hunson Abadeer, whose presence completely slipped out of the blonde's mind. "You and your company cannot lay a single finger on anyone of this carnival or you will face to face the Royal Court itself. Now, as the Ringmaster said before, you are no longer welcome within the boundaries of the Candy Carnival. Please leave before necessary force is required." And, as if on cue, the lion growled loudly.

Hunson Abadeer, trying to keep what dignity he ad left in front of his daughter and nephew, calmly got to his feet, patted the dirt off of his suit and walked away. Marshall set the blonde down, who was trying to suppress a giggle. Hunson did not notice but part of his hair was ruffled from when Marshall shoved him to the ground, making it look like he just woke up from a nap.

As soon as the heavy set man disappeared behind the curtains, cheer erupted once more. "I take that your answer is a yes?" Peppermint asked Marshall Lee.

The raven haired man looked to the circus troupe then the carnival staff. "All the hard work we've put into the carnival finally gets a royal audience. It would be foolish to refuse the king himself so yes Mr. Peppermint. Send that messenger back with a 'yes'." Everyone cheered as Marshall shook hands with Peppermint Butler who nodded and went to find the royal messenger.

"It'll take at least two days travel to get to London, three if the weather gets worse. Do you want to travel now then prepare there or would you like to prepare the acts now then travel?" Mr. Starchy waddled up to the Ringmaster and asked. "I mean, it doesn't take long for the rest of us to prepare but you and your troupe have to plan out the Sunlight and Moonlight Performances. Also, I heard you've made another addition to your family?"

"Yes we did. This young lady right here and her sister," the raven haired man smiled then put an arm around the blonde and gestured at Cake. He then turned to Bubba and said, "What do you think Bubba? You're the one good at planning timely things."

Bubba thought for a minute then looked at the Ringmaster with an answer in his eyes. "We should travel first. We could use those two, or three, days to plan out the acts and what we should do for the performance. It would also help in welcoming Fionna and Cake into our little family and figure out what they can do in the show."

"Alright you heard the man!" Mr. Starchy yelled to the rest of the carnival staff. "Pack your things! We're heading out to the palace!" They all cheered and scrambled back to their booths to get ready. The short, stout man turned back to the circus performers. "I'll get some people to come back and help you guys when they're done with their own things."

"Thank you very much Starchy!" The strawberry blonde called back as he and the rest of the circus members made their way to the back of the large red tent.

"Marshall, what did my father want?" Marceline whispered quietly as soon as they were behind the curtains.

"The same thing he wanted all the other times," Marshall sighed heavily then pulled his cousin into a hug. Marceline trembled in his arms but held back the tears.

"What were you guys doing in here?" Bubba asked when he noticed the cushions and chairs positioned in a circle.

"Sharing stories," Ignatius replied. "Francine was about to share hers when we heard yelling outside."

"Well, that's something else we could do while we travel. Let's get ready and pack our things." At that, the performers of the Cirque du Celestia began gathering their things, leaving Fionna and Cake standing awkwardly in the middle.

Marshall noticed this and made his way over to them. "Do you two have anything you need to go back and get? Any other clothes or possessions?"

"No not really. We can't afford any other clothes so we just fix these and wash them continuously. We carry everything else in our pockets. We don't have that many things," Cake replied calmly.

"Well then, when we arrive at the King's village, I'll get the other girls to take the two of you shopping."

"That's not necessary Marshall!" Fionna exclaimed. "We-"

"Have been wearing the same dress for how many years exactly?" Marshall finished slyly as the sisters blushed. "Your going to need warmer clothes and nicer ones if you are to present yourselves to the King and Queen. We also need to create uniforms for the two of you."

"Uniforms?"

"Yes, we all have uniforms for our performances. Before that though, we are going to need to know what acts you will perform. Let's figure that out on the way. How about you help the other dancers with all their things? I'm sure Marceline could also use some help with all those animals of hers."

The two girls nodded and did what they could to be helpful. "Cake, I'm going to go help out Marceline," Fionna told her sister.

"Okay baby. Be careful with those animals. I'm going to help the dancers," Cake returned. The blonde nodded and went to find the Animal Tamer.

Fionna found Marceline in the very back wth the animals. There was hay everywhere for the animals to lay on. A couple monkeys came up to greet her. She smiled when one of them grabbed her hand and led her to the long haired woman. "Marceline? Marshall said that you might need some help here and-" Fionna shut her mouth when she noticed the other woman's shoulders were trembling and she had her face buried in her hands. "Marceline! Is everything okay?" The blonde sat down beside her.

"Y-yeah. I'm fine."

"I'm sorry about your parents," Fionna whispered softly, unsure of what to do.

"Thanks Fionna. I guess it just hurts, you know? Part of me wants my father to be proud of me, to be proud of what I can do, not what he wants me to do. Then that jerk came along." Marceline gulped and fought back the tears.

"Who?" Fionna whispered softly then placed a hand on Marceline's shoulder. The Animal Tamer smiled and hooked an arm around hers for comfort.

"Ash Sullivan. The son of my father's boss. I knew him for a while. I even dated him but he was a jerk that just pushed me around. One day I came home with bruises and my father made me break up with him. That had to be the only time that he defended me. Then he found out that Ash was his boss's son and that if I married him, he would be getting a wonderful pay. He agreed to it. Marshall was back from the army at that time and he tried to convince my father otherwise but when he met Ash, everything went bad. Ash tried to kill him. He shot at him but Marshall was an incredible fighter while Ash was a lousy block head. Marshall was able to knock him out then throw his weapon away. That fight happened when Ash found out that he was trying to break off the forced engagement."

Marceline looked at Fionna straight in the eye. "Marshall has always been like an older brother to me. He always took care of me. He was there when my father sold my mother as a slave for beer money. It was thanks to him that I was to leave my horrible father behind and help bring smiles to the world thanks to this circus." Fionna wrapped an arm around Marceline as the onyx haired woman wept on her shoulder.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Alright, that's all I need. Thanks for helping me out Fionna!" Marceline exclaimed as they finished cleaning up all the straw and hay. "I'll handle the animals myself. Why don't you go find the other dancers and help them out?"

"Sounds like a good idea. I'll see ya later!" The blonde left after the Animal Tamer nodded at her. She found the three dancers, along with her adoptive sister, somewhere in the many 'rooms' the folds of the giant curtains created. "Hey do you guys need some help here?"

"Hey Fionna!" Cake beamed at her while she was helping Lillian with a couple dresses.

"How about we properly introduce ourselves to you before anything?" Bonnibelle said, walking up to her. "I'm Bonnibelle Shugarston and this is Lillian Rainica. I am a trapeze artist while she is a trampoline acrobat. Take a seat and I'll tell you our stories." Fionna did as she was told as bubblegum pink haired woman, about the same age as Cake, took a seat in front of her. "I was a student and the only child in my family. My parents pushed me to get good marks and to be a doctor. I loved them for that. They agreed with my career choice even though they wanted me to be a lawyer. Then, right before my twentieth birthday, my Uncle Lemongrab came home. I was always afraid of him for no good reason, until the next morning, when he came home drunk and shot my parents. He was going to kill me too if Lillian didn't help me run away."

Lillian placed an arm around Bonnibelle. She took a shaky breath and smiled at her old friend then began Lillian's tale. "Lillian's home was burned a long time and she became an orphan at a young age. She was staying at a foster home but she was kidnapped. She was next found in Korea and basically grew up there. She forgot how to speak English but she can still understand it." The blonde noticed that Lillian was nodding every now and then as Bonnibelle told her tale. "She helped me run away but Lemongrab was chasing us. He was out for my blood. Lillian led us to her fiance's house. Jake Dogson is her fiance. He, with the help of Finn, was able to take down Lemongrab then take him to the jail house."

"This must be really hard for you. There was no need for you to tell me these things," Fionna whispered. Tears were stinging her eyes from all the stories she has heard.

"It's a tradition we started here in this circus," Bonnibelle replied. "Random people can't just come and join our family because they want to. Everyone here has a story to tell, has gone through suffering that has made them stronger but have no where to go. Much like the two of you," the pink haired woman pointed at the two sisters. "Marshall told us your story. I'm sorry to hear of your parents. This place is our home and now yours."

"Thank you," Fionna sighed happily.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Everyone please gather around!" Peppermint announced to the carnival staff huddled before him. It took an hour for the individual carnival members to pack their stuff and another hour of combined effort to pack up the large tent of the Cirque du Celestia. "The circus troupe will be leading the way in their wagon. It will take a day to travel to the train station and another before we reach the Royal Palace. Don't get lost and rely on the buddy system!"

Everyone made their way back to their wagons and lined up behind the bright red wagon with Bubba and Marceline driving it. The rest of the performers were huddled up inside the wagon in layers of coats and blankets. Marshall gave the blonde his own jacket and refused it when the blonde tried to return it, insisting that she needed it more than he did. Not being able to stand the cold silence, Marshall brought out his guitar and began to sing joyful songs. The others joined clapping and laughing along. Beemo and Geemo began to dance around when Bubba made his way back inside the wagon and Lorn took his spot as wagon driver.

"How bad is it out there Bubba?" Marshall teased when the strawberry blonde settled down beside him.

"You know I'm not fond of the cold," Bubba panted, his teeth chattering.

"Haha well if it's that brutal outside, I'll go relieve Marceline," the Ringmaster laughed, took his jacket from the blonde, then got up and out to the front of the wagon. Marceline came in a little after.

"Brutal out there," Marceline grunted and took a seat behind the strawberry blonde man.

"Fionna and Cake," Bubba addressed the sisters as his body stopped shivering. "At the parade, you two did some pretty great dancing."

"Yes," Cake replied. "Our mothers taught us well."

"Are you thinking that they should join the acrobat troupe?" Bonnibelle asked hopefully.

"Yes, Marshall and I believe that would be the best idea. Unless, of course, you two have some hidden talent that you have yet to reveal to us." Bubba asked the two girls.

"No, not really," Fionna replied.

"Bubba?" Francine spoke up after a while. "About the introductions, I'd prefer if you did not call me by my name."

"What would you like us to introduce you as?"

"Ember. Ember Sparx, after my sister." The strawberry blonde nodded then murmured something about mentioning it to the Ringmaster. "Ember is my sister's name." Francine explained at the sister's confused expressions. "Months ago, my family's business went bankrupt and my father was desperate to get money. He tried to sell my sister and I as slaves for scraps of money. We were sold to a horrible man that whipped his servants but payed a handsome prize. The night before we were to leave for his manor, my mother knocked out my father and told my sister and I to run away and don't look back. That's exactly what we did. Being the elder, I had to take care of my sister, but I had to look back. A fire has engulfed out home when I did look back. I didn't need anyone to tell me that my parents were still inside." Francine gulped and took a shaky breath. "Unfortunately, the horrible man my father sold us to was on his way to pick us up and found us on the street. He tried to force us into his carriage but we fought took out a pistol and-and-"

Marceline got up and put an arm around her as tears began to pour out of her eyes. "He shot my sister. I succumbed into madness. We were near a locksmith at the time and I grabbed a heated rod of metal and struck him down. I kept hitting him until he was motionless. I heard other people running towards me and I ran. The image of my sister's lifeless body in my arms are forever etched in my mind." She broke down to sobs and Cake scrambled to her and together they wept.

Fionna knew what her adoptive sister was thinking. She was thinking it as well. To have your sister take her final breaths in your arms is a horrible and tragic thing. The blonde could not think of anything that will make her forget a horrible thing like that. She refused to even dare to think of her sister's lifeless body in her arms.

In hopes of lessening the negative mood, Marceline grabbed her cousin's guitar and played a slow melancholy tune. "Since were in the mood of telling stories, I want to share mine," Finn said clearly yet nervously. "I think I'm about the same age as you, Fionna. You're nineteen right?" The blonde woman nodded to the blonde man. "I used to live in a farm with my mother, father and a newborn baby brother. Our farm was the last one in the area that didn't belong to the Destiny Gang. That gang has been buying out every farm and if the owners refused, a fire was always an option. When they confronted my father, my mother told me to go into town and sell the family mule, Bartram. However, someone from the gang stole him and I fought to get him back. After I got him back, I found out it was just a way to lead me far from my family because when I turned to my house, it was on fire. I rode on Bartram and got there in time to get out my family out before the house collapsed. The Destiny Gang wasn't that far behind and will be there to finish the job in no time. I put my family on Bartram and told them to go as far away as possible and even change their names if they had to. That was the last time I saw them. I led the Destiny gang in the opposite direction and to the next town over, the same town that this carnival was setting up at the time. Marshall, Lorn, Bubba and Mr. Cupcake helped me fight of the gang. They welcomed me into the circus and I've been here ever since."

"That was a week before I joined," Jake continued and clasped his friend's shoulder as Finn took a shaky breath. "Finn here has been like a little brother to me and when he showed up on my door, he told me the same story over dinner. Have you hear Lillian's story yet?" Fionna and Cake nodded. "Well, she's my fiance and she was helping Ms. Shugarston here run from the old prick Lemongrab. Thank the Lord that Finn was there 'cause He knows I would not have been about to take down Lemongrab by myself. He brought us to the circus afterwards and Marshall invited us to their family."

The blonde could not describe what she was feeling. These people have all suffered in their lives, just as she and Cake have. These people weren't there because they wanted to. They were there because they needed to, because they were brought together by something. Whatever that something is steered Fionna and Cake to meet the Ringmaster and his friends. They weren't alone. They were now part of this family and Fionna was thankful for that. Thankful that there was now something she and her adoptive sister can do with their lives.

The wagon lurched to a stop minuets later then Marshall and Lorn stepped back into the wagon. "We are going to stop here for the night. Let's get dinner started. I'm starving," the Ringmaster groaned and sat down as everyone prepared for the night.

"Before dinner is ready, Fionna, would you like to help me take care of the animals?" Marceline asked the blonde as Ember and Bonnibelle prepared dinner with the help of the twins. She nodded and got to her feet.

"I'll help too," Bubba grunted and jumped to his feet.

"Hang on, Fionna," Marshall's tenor stopped the blonde. "It's cold out there, You're gonna need this." He took off his coat and placed it around Fionna's shoulders.

"Thank you," the blonde mumbled and hid her blush. The raven haired man smiled at her then helped Ignatius and Finn in looking for plates and forks. Fionna and Bubba followed the Animal Tamer through the strong wind and to following wagon that held the animals. When they arrived in the wagon, Fionna was surprised to see that the animals were not in cages. "Well Marceline is one pretty amazing animal tamer. These animals don't need cages because they usually don't act up. If they do, Marceline somehow always manages to calm them down," Bubba replied when Fionna pointed it out.

"So Fionna," Bubba started as Marceline fed the last of the monkeys. "How are you settling into the circus family?"

"It's wonderful! My sister and I are happy here and we feel so welcome," Fionna sighed and couldn't stop the smile spreading on her face.

"And the others have been sharing their stories with you?"

"Yeah..." Fionna mumbled, not knowing what else to say.

"It's like a tradition we have here; to share our stories to each other when we feel ready. It brings us closer as a family I suppose," the strawberry blonde sighed an took a seat on a small stool. "How about I tell you mine?"

"If you want to," the blonde replied and prepared herself to hear Bubba's story.

"Marshall and I have been good friends for a long time. We supported each other in our dreams and promised each other that we would change the world. We had big dreams," the Shadow Silhouette Artist smiled nostalgically. "We are young, not as young as you, but compared to the rotten old people that make up our aristocracy. When we were sixteen, Marshall and I went our separate ways to change the world in our own ways. Marshall went off to train for the army. I went off and became a politician. Marshall disagreed with this and often jokingly warned me that I'll become an old, fat and corrupt white haired man. I promised him that no such thing would happen if he promised to come back the same man from the army."

Bubba sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Politics was not what I expected it to be. I studied everything needed to be a successful politician but Parliament was not what I expected. One night, I got pulled into a small fight. I'm not very strong but I do know hand-to-hand combat. I fought off some of them and escaped the others. Unfortunately, those drunkards happened to be superiors. Instead of taking away my job, they black mailed me into doing things that I didn't want to. That's how I saw the terrible corruption in the politics at that time. I wanted to walk away but that wasn't an option, until a chance meeting with an old friend in a bar. Marshall Lee came back from the army a different man. I can't blame him, war changes people. I broke the promise too. I became the aristocrat's puppet. I have no idea how he did it but the man found a way to blackmail my blackmailers and they let me walk free."

"And after that they decided to live in one of my father's houses," Marceline chimed in and sat wth them when she finished feeding all the animals.

"It's a good thing we did too. We saved you and started this fantastic circus," the strawberry blonde laughed. "This circus was his idea. It took him weeks to get Marceline into it. Years for me."

Fionna smiled along with the two of them. The raven haired man never ceased to amaze her. She felt the warmth from his coat around her shoulders keep her warmer. "And by the looks of it," Bubba continued slyly. "He has taken quite a liking to you."

"I-uh'" the blonde stuttered. How was she supposed to reply to that? The other two laughed at the bright red shade her cheeks became.

"Well, I certainly like her more than Ashley," Marceline chuckled.

"Ashley?" the blonde raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah. She was this girl who was practically obsessed with him. She kept following him around ever since he got back from the army. Marshall, being the nice guy of course, gave her a chance," the Animal Trainer explained.

"Too bad she was crazy," Bubba laughed. "She met him when he first signed up for training. She's been stalking him and watching him for years after that. Marshall broke up with her after a week into their relationship because she was already talking about their marriage and what she wants to name the children. Ashley also got jealous easily. That didn't help the fact that he attracted girls like some kind of magnet."

"Ashley even got jealous when Marshall was with me," Marceline laughed and made Bubba roar in laughter. Fionna giggled along with them until Peppermint appeared in the opening of the wagon bundled up in fur.

"Oh there you guys are! I'm just making sure we didn't leave anyone behind. By the way, Bonnibelle says that dinner was ready a while ago and you should hurry if you want to eat something warm."

"Oh yes, thank you," Bubba said getting up. He and the ladies made their way through the cold and back to the other wagon.

They should've been sleeping for the long trip ahead but when the Ringmaster began to play his guitar then started singing with his sister and the twins started to dance around, the others couldn't but laugh and sing along. Cake plopped herself down next to her adoptive sister with a bowl of steaming soup. "Are you enjoying this?"

"Absolutely. I love being with these people. I'm glad that we joined them."

"Me too," Cake smiled. "Listen, while you were gone, I was told of Lorn's story. He, like Marshall, was a soldier. As you know, war changes everyone. On the night Lorn got back, he decided to go for a drink to drown out the horrors of war. He wasn't the only one that went. He was joined by a couple other soldiers but these guys were the ones that enjoyed the blood and violence with brings with it. Lorn doesn't remember what was said or who threw the first punch but a fight broke out. One of them had a knife and lashed out at Lorn. His throat was hit, the vocal cords were no longer able to work but nothing fatal. Another soldier kept pounding on his head and he lost his hearing." Cake sighed sadly as she retold the story to her adoptive sister. "When his superiors heard about the fight, Lorn was discharged due to his injuries and the other soldiers were as well for disciplinary behavior. Lorn and Bubba were school buddies so he stayed with Bubba and Marshall in one of Marceline's dad's houses. He's also one of the founders of this circus."

The blonde nodded, another melancholy feeling was forming in her stomach, which happened every time she heard one of the performers' stories. In return, Fionna told Cake of Bubba's story. "He's right you know, about how our hard pasts brings us closer together. We can comfort and stand together better than those who've had everything handed to them."

Before the blonde could reply, the twins grabbed their hands and tried to pull them into the dance. "Maybe when I'm done eating okay?" the blonde replied. However, her sister was already done eating and joined the children.

"Precious, aren't they?" Bonnibelle took Cake's spot beside Fionna. The blonde nodded and smiled at the dancing and music around their little family.

"Do they have parents?"

"Not exactly. They were abandoned on the side of the street as newborns. When it was just me, Marceline, Lillian, Jake, Finn, Marshall, Lorn and Bubba, we went to get some supplies that the carnival needed and I found them on a box. They were so tiny and their frail little arms were shivering. I couldn't leave them behind and both Bubba and the Ringmaster agreed that it would be best to take them with us."

Minutes after that, Fionna finished her soup and danced around with her sister. The three dancers joined them and the smiles widened around the other performers. Ember got Finn to dance with her as Bubba dragged a laughing Marceline into the dance. The blonde felt large hands on hers and turned to see that the raven haired man has joined in the dance with her as Cake helped Lorn get on his feet. Soon the other members joined into the dance. They danced the night away until they were all exhausted. As the performers settled down to sleep for the night, Fionna snuggled against Marshall's shoulder as he wrapped an arm around her waist and put a small kiss on her forehead.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Is everyone on board?" Peppermint hollered. They have just finished putting everything they needed in the train that the King has so kindly provided for them to make their traveling much easier. Once Peppermint Butler was sure that everyone was on, he signaled to the conductor to start the train.

Beemo and Geemo were bouncing all over the place. This was their first train ride. Fionna couldn't help but smile at them. Though it wasn't her first time, she was excited to be on one, not to mention it was a Royal Train. She accompanied the twins when they decided to explore it.

"Look Fionna! They even have a pool!" Beemo exclaimed then pointed out a large glass box with clear blue water in it. It looked like a large wall of water in one of the wooden cars of the train. "Can we go for a swim?" The twins tugged at the blonde's skirt.

"Umm, I'm not sure if we can..."

"Of course you can," Bubba said out of no where. "I asked Peppermint to get one of these for you."

"Me?" The blonde asked confused. Her eyes fell on the large box in the man's arms.

"Ah, I'm glad you noticed this. You told Marshall that you can do underwater ballet? Or just dance underwater?" The blonde nodded. "That's is incredible. Well our beloved Ringmaster had Lottie Pope make dresses for you and your sister. Cake has agreed to be a vertical silk acrobat. She'll be dancing around on strong silk ribbons hanging from the ceiling. She's already a natural at it." Fionna smiled fondly. Cake was always a great climber. Her father often referred to her as a cat. "Her dress is not as extravagant as yours. Since you'll be dancing under water, it has to be big and showy. Here," He set the box down for the blonde to open. "Sorry Beemo and Geemo, Fionna needs to train in this pool. I'll take these two of your hands so you can practice."

The blonde opened the box as Bubba led the twins to other parts of the train. She gasped when she took off the lid. It was beautiful baby blue dress with a skirt that went up to her knees. White and silver ribbons flowed slowed from the shoulders. It had lace going down the middle and large flowing sleeves that hung at the shoulders on straps of blue. Fionna excitedly stripped from her old dress to put on the newer dress. It slipped on perfectly her curves. Then she slipped on the matching stockings and other accessories that came with it.

As soon as the dress was on, Fionna climbed up the ladder on the side of the large aquarium and jumped right in. The blonde was surprised to find it in a lukewarm temperature. She giggled inwards, reveling at the water once again sliding over her skin. The same tune once again resonated through her mind once more, the same one that never fails to come to her when she dances in the water. The same tune that she can hear being played on a guitar, muffled by the water. Fionna opened her eyes to see the Ringmaster sitting on a stool with his red double axe-shaped guitar on his lap. The blonde raised herself up to the surface of the water. As soon as she emerged out of the water the raven haired man smiled at her then played out the last verse of the song.

Fionna swam to edge closest to Marshall as he finished singing the same song that her father wrote to her mother as a marriage proposal. "You look absolutely stunning in that dress. You're a natural at underwater ballet," the Ringmaster complimented.

"Thank you," the blonde mumbled automatically. "How do you know that song? My father wrote that song himself to-"

"Propose to your mother?"

"How did you-?"

"You have your father's eyes. Did you know that?" The blonde gawked. She was a spitting image of her mother except for the blonde hair and blue eyes she inherited from her father. "You told me your father was in the army. So was I. He was the main reason I joined as well. He was my hero. I'm sorry to hear that he was taken by the plague."

"You knew him?"

"Yes. He trained me for two years before I stepped onto the front lines. After those two years, I never heard from him since. I never knew why until I met you. He taught me that song and told me he used it to propose to his wife and sing his baby girl to sleep. He let me tweak the tune a bit and he liked it and kept the changes I made."

"I wandered why the song sounded different when he got back from the army."

"Yeah that was my contribution to that song," Marshall laughed. "You're father was a brave man and an epitome of a soldier." Tears swelled up on the blonde's eyes the memory of her father coming home from the war and embracing her with all the love a father can give his daughter. "It was thanks to his teachings that I kept my sanity in the violence and horror of war." The raven haired man raised his hand to her, as she climbed down the ladder. The water slipped away from the material of the dress, leaving her body dry but her hair wet. Fionna wrung the water from her golden locks as the Ringmaster wrapped an arm around her waist and stroked her cheek.

"Why did you leave the military?" the blonde whispered softly, desperate to know the secrets behind those midnight black eyes.

"Like politics, the army superiors were corrupted as well," Marshall sighed, his eyes grew darker with rage and sadness. "A year into service, I was ordered to do something I couldn't," he let go of the blonde, unable to look at the girl's eyes.

"Marshall?" Fionna whispered. "Wh-What did they ask you to do?"

The raven haired man scratched the back of his head, frustrated. The blonde could see this was hard for him and did not pester him anymore. Just as the blonde thought that he wouldn't answer her, Marshall spoke. "I was shipped off to help in the suppression of the natives in parts of the New World, outside of the United States. The way those natives were treated sickened me. We were ordered to ride out to their tribes and shoot at will. Any survivors were massacred the following morning. On the first raid," Marshall took a needed breath and turned to the blonde. Sympathetic blue eyes met with watery ebony ones. "I was ordered to clear out this teepee. I was shaking like a puppy in the rain. I charged in there with my musket ready and loaded but when I saw them, I just couldn't. They looked at me straight in the eyes. The wife and three year old son of the chief that was just killed. When I couldn't kill them, I helped them get away. Unfortunately, my superior found out and had me whipped. I still have scars to prove it. As soon as I stepped foot back to Europe, I was discharged."

"Marshall, I'm so sorry," the blonde gasped, unable to imagine the tragic the Ringmaster just depicted. She walked up to him and cupped one of his cheeks. The raven haired man leaned into her palm and wrapped an arm around her waist. He placed his forehead against hers.

"Thank you, for being here, Fionna." He stepped back and looked at the blonde with the old smiling face she first saw when she met him. "You are a natural in your dancing. How long can you stay under?"

"A little longer than that song."

"Then you will be the finale of the show for the King and Queen. You shall dance while I play the song that your father wrote on my guitar."

"The finale?" Fionna exclaimed, not believing her ears.

"You can do it," he encouraged and pulled her close. He tilted her chin up and pressed his lips against hers. The blonde's breath hitched at the contact with his warm lips. Her eyes closed and she kissed him back. The blonde lost herself in the warmth and scent of the raven hired man. All too soon did the man pull back and say, "You'll be a great finale to the show but you still need practice." He stepped away from her and grabbed his guitar then steered the blonde back to the water. "Let's get started."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"And now, I would like to introduce a new member of our family and the finale of the show for your Majesties. Can we get a round of applause for the beautiful and enchanting Aquatic Angel of the Cirque du Celestia, Fionna Nightingdale!" Marshall's voice rang out happily as he introduced the final act.

The blonde could imagine what the audience saw as the spotlight made her skin and dress shine. A blonde woman with a beautiful light blue dress that came down to her knees and ribbons flowing down around her. Her hair in beautiful waving curls cascading down her sides. Fionna smiled as the Ringmaster danced his fingers over the stings of his guitar. Fionna made her way to the raven haired an who held out his hand to her. She took it and he whispered, "Are you ready Blue?"

"I will dance as beautifully as you will sing my father's song."

Marshall smiled at her then led her to water in a glass case. The blonde took a huge breath and dived in as the Ringmaster's incredible voice resonated her father's melody.


	3. Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day!

In the spirit of love, there will be lots of romance and fluff in here! Enjoy!

Yeah know it's late and I'm really sorry for that but here you go.

Love and Fluff. Love and Fluff Everywhere

* * *

A melody resonated through her mind as it did in the water around her. Fionna arched her back and pointed her toe. She moved her arms in dramatically slow and graceful movements. Her golden bangs were pinned down as the rest flowed around her. The water played with her golden locks, twirling and twisting it into gorgeous curls. The ribbons around her dress danced in the waves, adding more grace to her underwater ballet.

Fionna opened her cerulean eyes and titled her head. Through the crystal clear water and the see-through glass container for her performance, her eyes met the deep midnight black eyes, outlined by a black and silver mask, of Marshall Lee Kingville, the Ringmaster of the Cirque du Celestia. His smile was dazzling and he winked back at her when he found her looking at him. A smile tugged at Fionna's lips as she flipped to hide her blush.

Fionna Nightingdale, the Aquatic Angel of the Cirque du Celestia, waved her arms one last time then swam back to the surface, still not losing any elegance in her underwater dance. At the last strum of Marshall's guitar, the blonde broke out of the water and held herself up on the edge of the large glass container.

Applause erupted everywhere. The blonde couldn't help but smile at the audience, getting up to their feet as the rest of the troupe poured onto the stage and waited for her to join them. Fionna carefully climbed down the ladder on the side of her glass container of water. Marshall Lee waited for her at the bottom, a dazzling smile spread across his handsome face. The blonde jumped from the last couple rungs and into the Ringmaster's arms.

The other circus members gathered around them and joined together into a group hug. Words of praise to Fionna and Cake were scattered around as wide smiles were on everyone's faces. At Marshall's say so, the hug disentangled and the troupe spread out, holding hands, on the stage as the applause continued to ring through the King's gardens. Together, the troupe bowed and the applause only crescendoed.

Fionna's bright blue eyes quickly glanced at the balcony seat and kept her excitement from showing. Even the King and Queen of England were on their feet, gracing the Cirque du Celestia with a royal standing ovation. The blonde stood with the troupe, between Marshall and her sister, as the applause began to softly quiet down. She felt Cake give her hand a squeeze. She glanced at her and met her teary green eyes along with the bright grin on her cheeks. The blonde returned the smile as she felt the raven haired man release her hand then drape his arms around her shoulders.

It took half an hour for the applause to completely stop and another half for the guests to leave the gardens and go back inside to the palace courts. Members of the Candy Carnival helped with the cleaning up before enjoying the New Year's Festival.

"Marshall Lee Kingville!" A booming voice exclaimed as the troupe finished up with their equipment. "It appears my children were correct in every way. That was a phenomenal performance. I congratulate you and your fellow performers on this stellar show."

The troupe turned to see the King himself coming to meet them. The Queen was not far behind them, holding the hands of a girl and a boy whom the blonde recognized from the first parade. Fionna tensed up, unsure of what to do in the presence of the ruler of all of England. The Ringmaster, however, seemed to know how to act before such power and walked to meet and kneel before the King. The monarch was a heavy set man, even through his royal regalia. He easily towered over the raven haired man, who himself was pretty tall.

"It has been an absolute honor for me and my friends to perform to the Majesties of England. No words can depict the gratitude that we feel for the opportunity you have graced us with," he returned clearly and politely.

"There's no need for that. Besides, it was more of challenge and I know no respectable man in this world would deny a challenge. Before we get to the details of said challenge," the King began then held out his hand to a help a surprised Marshall Lee to his feet. "Please introduce to me your friends and enlighten me in the history of your circus, for, you'll have to forgive me, I have not heard of your establishment until my own children stumbled upon your parade a week ago."

Not refusing the King's help, Marshall took his hand and allowed him to help to get back to his feet. Fionna, still tense, jumped when Cake came over and gave her a hug. She let out a shaky breath as she tried to hide the terrified look on her face. "What's wrong?" Cake whispered.

"That's the King! The most powerful man in the world! Just being in his presence is scaring me!" The blonde whispered back quickly.

"Oh he doesn't seem that bad," Cake shrugged nonchalantly, then hooked arms with her adoptive sister. The blonde leaned on her slightly as Marshall Lee led the monarch towards them.

"I would like you to meet the man responsible for the timing and planning of our performances," the Ringmaster said. "Bubba Golfax, the Shadow Silhouette Artist." The strawberry blonde man walked up, put a hand over his heart and bowed to his majesty.

"It is honor to meet you, your Highness," he said clear and polite like Marshall did earlier.

"There's no need for such formalities," the King laughed then grasped Bubba's shoulder, almost knocking off his glasses. The Shadow Silhouette Artist was flustered, not sure how to act informal with the King of England. "Well why don't all of you come here?" He addressed the rest of the performers cheerfully. "I'd like to know something about all of you before congratulating you."

Fionna looked around. The others were rather reluctant to make eye contact with the King. The blonde and her adoptive sister were standing next to Ignatius and Finn. Jake had his arm around Lillian's waist somewhere behind them while Marceline, Bonnibelle and Ember huddled somewhere nearby. Geemo and Beemo, however, ran up to the King hand-in-hand and gazed up at him. Upon seeing the twins run up their father, the young prince and princess ran to hide behind the King as the Queen made her way towards them. The prince and princess were around the same age as the twins.

"Well what are your names?" The King chuckled then squatted down to see them eye-to-eye, pushing his kids forward as he did.

"I'm Beemo and this is my sister, Geemo," the blue-green haired boy replied cheerfully.

"How did you get your hair like that?" The prince asked him before his father could reply.

"Lillian colored them for us! Its a pretty color isn't it?" Geemo asked cheerfully.

The kids continued to talk as Fionna saw Lorn, from her peripheral, come up beside Cake and take her hand. The brown haired girl jumped slightly at his touch as a smirk pulled at Fionna's lips. Just then, an idea popped into her head. The blonde swung her hips towards Cake, nudging her with more force than she wanted to. Her adoptive sister stumbled forward and her face smacked into Lorn's chest.

"Oh-uh-um," Cake stuttered, blushing furiously. Lorn just smiled and took her hand. He gently tugged on her arm and led her to the King. Cake, however, did not forget to shoot her sister an unamused glare which only led to Fionna struggling to hide her fit of giggles. Her giggles stopped when the Ringmaster appeared before her. Upon seeing the surprised look on her face, Marshall Lee smirked and removed the black and silver mask on his face. After pocketing the accessory, he held is arm out to the blonde who happily took it.

"You heard the King," the raven haired man exclaimed to the rest of performs cheerfully. "Go ahead and introduce yourselves!" The blonde mused at the fact that these few words from the Ringmaster can relax the troupe. She clearly noticed the tense shoulders relaxing then smiles coming to life. Marshall Lee led the blonde towards the monarch with the others trailing behind. Fionna tried to fight back the panicked feeling rising up her stomach but her fingers still gripped Marshall's arm tighter.

"Don't worry, blue," Marshall chuckled and placed his other hand over hers on his forearm. "He's not that bad and he's the King. The chances that you get to meet someone with such power is pretty low. Better make the most out of it right now. Besides, I'll be right here with you."

Fionna nodded, not trusting her voice. The King noticed the Ringmaster approaching with the blonde. He got to his feet then held out his hand out to Fionna when they arrived before him. Marshall bowed and Fionna immediately curtsied then hesitantly took the King's hand. The King placed a small kiss on the back of her hand then smiled at her. "That was some exquisite dancing you did. An excellent finale to a remarkable show," he exclaimed to the blonde then to the raven haired man. "Fionna? Am I correct?"

"Um, yes. My name is Fionna Nightingdale," she mumbled nervously then remembered her manners. "Your Majesty."

The King gave her another smile then proceeded to greet the rest of the circus.

"Ringmaster," the Queen said as she walked up to her family. "My children were ecstatic to hear that your circus will be making an appearance within the palace gardens. They were right to be ecstatic. Even my father smiled." She then addressed her husband who just finished congratulating Lillian and Jake in their engagement. "Dear, don't you think it's about time that you keep our promise?"

"Oh yes indeed my dear," the King replied and stood his full height. The atmosphere immediately turned to that of business. "My father is an ancient of a man," he addressed the Ringmaster who also stood straight. Marshall unhooked his arm from Fionna as Bubba and Lorn walked up to the Ringmaster's side. Fionna stepped back, knowing that it was not her place to be in the middle of the business conducting. From the corner of her eye, she saw Marceline beckoning her over to where she was standing with Bonnibelle and Ember.

"Let them handle all the business," the Animal Trainer whispered as the blonde came near. "It's boring anyways."

"Unfortunately," the King's voice boomed loud enough for the whole troupe to hear. "My father's old age tires him out easily. He has already retreated to his chambers. However, as much as he would deny it," the monarch chuckled.

"Senile old man," the Queen chuckled as her children laughed lightly with her.

"I did see a smile creep up to his face more than once during the show," the King of England continued. "So it looks like you've beat the challenge." A smile crept to Fionna's face as she cheered happily in her head. A server, dressed in fine silk came from out of nowhere and stood by the King. He kneeled and held out a roll of parchment to his Majesty. "As I have informed you in the letter before, I will donate a handsome amount of gold as well as a Royal Grant to wherever you wish to perform in England. If you'd like to travel anywhere else, the train you came here is now yours to use at will, and I will personally ask other countries to allow you within their borders."

"Thank you, Your majesty," Bubba returned, taking over the business exchange.

The King smiled and scribbled something on the parchment. He flashed the troupe a smile then handed the parchment to the Shadow Silhouette Artist. "Well that takes care of that. I applaud all of you in your efforts to make this world a better place. It is very respectable and I wish you safe travels in the future. Just send me a letter when you wish to travel to other countries. International business is quite a hassle," he chuckled. "Well, the festivities are still going on right now and I must recommend that you enjoy the food."

The King turned away but Marshall Lee spoke up. "Your Majesty?" The King turned back to face him.

"Yes?"

"Is it too early to ask for an international pardon?"

"Of course not," the King laughed. "Where would you like to go?"

"Paris, France, your Majesty."

"Paris? A beautiful place. The City of _Love_. May I ask for your reasoning to go there so quickly?"

Fionna heard the raven haired man let out a chuckle then glanced over his shoulder to Jake and Lillian. "Because, sir, we have a wedding to prepare."

* * *

"Welcome one and all to Sunlight Performance of the Cirque du Celestia!" Marshall Lee yelled over the roar of the crowd. The blonde shook with excitement. It has been weeks since the King somehow got them a pardon to France and now they are in streets of Paris. Hundreds of people lined the streets, anticipating the start of the parade. The Ringmaster stood with the Shadow Silhouette Artist at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, where the parade will start, wind around the city then lead to where the Candy Kingdom Carnival was set up at the Seine river side.

It was noon time in Paris but the air was still chilly. Marshall Lee refused the idea of putting wheels on Fionna's 'Aquarium' for he parade because of the weather. She will be dancing around with the other performers on foot instead. Lorn somehow found Cake's innate ability with the dulcimer and has bought her one. She will be contributing to the music for the parade.

The Sunlight Performance was about to begin and Fionna felt that she could no longer contain her excitement. It was the middle of February, a couple months after she and her adoptive sister were adopted into the Cirque du Celestia. Despite that, this was the very first Sunlight Performance that the blonde would participate in as an official member. The parade was not needed for the New Year's performance for the King and they have been planning and preparing for today since then.

Fionna smiled as Marshall started to play an upbeat and joyful tune on his guitar. Bubba joined him on his accordion and Ignatius provided a steady beat for them on his drum with his mallet ablaze even in this weather. Lorn played the melody on his trumpet as Cake played the counter melody on her dulcimer. Bells on Bonnibelle's and Ember's hips, wrists and ankles began to jingle as they began to move to the beat of the music.

Marshall Lee led the Sunlight Performance forward but this parade was different than the others and the crowd knew it. That's why there was a bigger audience than usual. People from other countries traveled to see the circus this particular day. Fionna astounded when she heard how the Ringmaster had planned this whole day out. The parade was even more impressive than usual, as well as unique. At the head of the parade line, Marshall Lee strummed away at his guitar. His black suit and top hat were replaced by a white suit with matching shoes. Under the white jacket, he kept his red vest and a red stripe wound around the base of his white hat. Bubba Golfax was in similar attire save for his vest and the ribbon around his hat were people instead of red. White masks framed their eyes.

Finn Mertens and Ignatius Blazen wore white suits as well. Their blonde and orange hair were combed over, giving them a formal look. Ignatius's drum continued to provide a steady beat as Finn took the crowd's breath by juggling five large curved blades effortlessly. Lorn Chromic stood once more over the circus on his ten feet legs now covered by white slacks. A matching white jacket covered his shoulders as he played the circus melody that the blonde had now memorized by heart. The only difference between their suits were the color of their ties. Ignatius had an orange tie while Finn had a dark blue one and Lorn had a black one, all of them solid colors.

Geemo and Beemo, twin siblings and the youngest members of the Cirque du Celestia, were once again riding on their unicycles. Beemo was in a cute little white tux with a blue-green tie while Geemo's usual uniform was replaced by a white dress and a blue green ribbon on her hair. Bonnibelle Shugarston and Ember Sparx danced around in white puffy dresses that flowed as they danced. Bonnibelle had a pink sash around her waist while Ember had an orange one. Cake Michealli, Fionna's 'sister', played her dulcimer as a similar dress hung from her shoulders along with a light brown sash. Fionna herself was dressed in a long, flowing white dress with long wide sleeves. Light blue lace hung around the shoulders and waist, giving the illusion that she really was under water. Marceline brought up the rear once more with her animals. Her dress was similar to the blonde save that the lace was red. She also wore her usual black and red top hat.

What really astounded the crowd were the animals and who was riding them. Jake Dogson was looking very handsome with his yellow hair combed to the side, his beard slightly trimmed and a wide smile on his face. He wore a white tail coat over a bright yellow vest with a red rose on the pocket with matching white slacks. He rode on the back of the large lion while his soon-to-be-wife rode on the back of an equally impressive lioness. Lillian Rainica, which will soon change to Lillian Dogson, glowed in her extravagant wedding dress. Lace danced around the curves of her dress as a lacy veil covered her face. Wide sleeves covered her arms as golden embroideries covered the length of her dress. One of her hands held a bouquet of roses while the other had the fingers intertwined with Jake's.

The cheers grew louder as the audience saw the happy couple. The blonde danced with Bonnibelle and Ember as the music continued to play and the twins threw white petals everywhere. Marceline joined them halfway through the parade and Fionna couldn't keep the joy bubbling inside in. She let out a fit of giggles and started dancing all over the parade. She danced with Beemo while he was on his unicycle then with Geemo. She twirled and waved her arms gracefully, closing her eyes and imagining the cool water sliding over her skin. When she opened her eyes again, she found herself dancing next to Marshall Lee and Bubba at the head of the parade. Riding out the elated feeling in her chest, she grabbed the Ringmaster's arms and pulled him into a circling dance that most children would do.

Marshall Lee himself was very surprised at the blonde but immediately let it go. He slung his guitar over his shoulder then pulled the blonde close, earning a himself a blush from her alabaster cheeks. Fionna lost herself in those deep midnight black eyes, made brighter by the white mask framed around them. She felt his arm wind around her waist, bringing her frame even closer to his. His other hand found hers as she intertwined her fingers with his. Marshall Lee slowly swayed them to the music then brought his head down to hers. Fionna's was face was already burning red but it even flushed even more when Marshall stared into her eyes then bit his lip. The blonde's heart pounded against her chest when she felt his lips molding against her top lip. Fionna responded quickly, nibbling on his bottom lip.

Before either one of them could've deepened the kiss, Beemo and Finn started hooting and cheering behind them. Fionna jolted back as heat rushed to her cheeks. The Ringmaster chuckled then planted a sweet kiss on her forehead. Fionna blushed even more then buried her face in his shoulder as Marshall Lee shot Finn and Beemo a look that got then to quiet down. Marshall chuckled once more then led the blonde to another tango, much like he did on the first parade. Fionna smiled at him then followed his lead, letting out small giggles of joy.

Soon Bubba joined them with a blushing Marceline in his arms. Marshall raised an eyebrow at his cousin and his old friend. Bubba shrugged and continued to dance with the Animal Trainer who just laughed at her cousin's reaction. Fionna mimicked the laughter then pulled Marshall back into the dance. Marshall chuckled and shook his head. He gave Fionna a small peck on the lips then took the lead once more.

The parade continued until a giant tent loomed into view by the Seine River. This time, however, instead of the usual bright red color, it was white and didn't close all the way around. it was more like a white ceiling over the stage that the circus troupe were performing in. The semi circle benches were still there for an audience that would like to stay but individual cushioned seats were set up right in front of the benches for members of the Candy Carnival and the circus. The stage was completely transformed from a plain wooden plat form to marble white steps leading up to a golden altar with white Greek pillars supporting numerous vases of exotic flowers.

Once the parade neared its destination, the performs dispersed into the smaller tents behind the larger one. The females went in one while the men went into the other. Fionna, Cake, Bonnibelle, and Ember rushed inside, unable to hide their giggling and jumped behind a rack of clothes. They did the best they could to keep quiet and listened intently to their surroundings. Their breath stopped when a flap signified the opening of the tent and someone coming in. They silently grabbed some clothes then popped out of where they were hiding and bombarded a surprised woman.

"Congratu-" they yelled and stopped in unison.

"Sorry ladies," Marceline chuckled. "But the real bride is still with the animals, spending some time with her fiance."

"Well, then we can just congratulate you!" Bonnibelle exclaimed.

"Congratulate me? For what?"

"That was some nice dancing you did," Ember cooed. "With Mr. Bubba Golfax."

Fionna and Cake burst out in giggles as the Animal Trainer flushed. "Personally I think it's about time that the two of you did something together," Bonnibelle teased.

"Hey-wha-what is that supposed to mean?" Marceline stammered defensively but her blush only made the pink haired woman laugh.

"Marceline and Bubba have been flirting for as long as I've known them," Ember laughed, explaining to Fionna and Cake.

"We have not!" Marceline pouted but couldn't hide the smile the tugged at her lips.

"Oh come on! The only one who hasn't noticed, besides our new family members here," Bonnibelle waved towards the 'sisters', "is your cousin Marshall."

"Speaking of which," Cake joined in, turning to the blonde. "What was his reaction?"

"Huh?" Fionna asked, slightly dazed from all the giggling.

"You were dancing with our Ringmaster during the parade!" Bonnibelle exclaimed in realization.

"Yeah it probably was because of the two of you that Bubba decided to take Marceline out for a spin," Cake concluded.

Fionna found three eager pairs of eyes staring at her. Her own blue eyes wandered over to Marceline who was also anticipating her answer. "Well, he did seem surprised at first but he didn't seem to mind."

The blonde noticed that the Animal Trainer let out a small, inaudible, sigh of relief as the other girls squealed excitedly. Just then, the flap opened up once more and in came the bride hand-in-hand with the small Geemo. "Lillian!" All five of them exclaimed then embraced the two ladies that just came in.

Lillian said something in Korean then smiled to everyone. The other girls looked to the pink haired woman for translation. Bonnibelle smiled as tears swan in her eyes. "The wedding is about to begin. Let's get ready."

* * *

The audience of the Cirque du Celestia on February 13th was sitting in the benches, shaking with anticipation. This was not the unusual for stories and tales of the famous circus has been spread as far as Asia and even to the New World thanks to the New Year's Performance at the King's Festival. However, this performance will be completely different than any that the circus has done. The audience themselves were dressed in their finest, from silk gowns to cotton suits, from whites to blacks, all for the occasion.

Lottie Pope, manager of the Ring Toss stand in the usual Carnival, stood near the opening of the tent and handed out fliers saying 'Welcome to the Candy Carnival. The Cirque du Celestia would like to present the Wedding of Jake Wilson Dogson and Lillian Crystal Rainica.' In a matter of seconds, the bleachers were filled with nicely dressed ladies and gentlemen.

On this particular occasion, instead of manning each of their booths or activities, the Candy Carnival staff sat in the cushioned chairs in front of the bleachers. All of them dressed in their finest as the tent filled. Music soon filled the air and everyone hushed each other as the ceremony began. Though this is a wedding, one can expect the Cirque du Celestia to turn the ordinary to the extraordinary.

A puff of white smoke suddenly appeared in the middle of the altar. The smoke thinned out to reveal Marshall Lee Kingville with a very handsome half-smirk on his face. In contrast to what he was wearing in the Sunlight Performance, he was wearing a black suit with a white undershirt and a grey tie. His mask, along with his hat, was gone, allowing the wind to play with his silky raven locks. "Welcome to the Cirque du Celestia!" His voice boomed into a small microphone hidden in his clothing. The Ringmaster bowed as the audience erupted into cheers. "As you know, this is no ordinary performance." The crowd cheered even louder. "On behalf of the circus troupe and the Candy Carnival staff, I would like to thank each and everyone of you for joining in this special occasion."

Marshall smiled to the crowd then produced a length of white silk from his sleeve. He turned around and held the rectangular cloth as high as he can then dropped it. The thud of the silk was covered up by the sudden gasp from the crowd. When the silk fell, Peppermint Butler appeared behind it in his usual blue tail coat and slacks. His ash blonde hair had red tips and his red and white striped tie shone proudly on his chest. He took his position in the middle of the altar, standing as the Marriage Officiant.

At the snap of the Ringmaster's fingers, four more puffs of smoke appeared in the left side of the altar, revealing, in order, Lorn Chromic, Ignatius Blazen, Bubba Golfax and Finn Mertens. Finn stood closest to the altar for he is Jake's Best Man. They were all dressed in similar attire as the Ringmaster. The four dazzling men smiled at the crowd as Marshall took the white fabric once more and after flicking it, Beemo appeared standing next to a large box. The little boy, also dressed in a cute little black tux, beamed at the crowd then opened the box. Jake Dogson, the Groom, unfolded himself wearing a black tuxedo with a grey vest underneath and a black tie.

The crowd cheered loudly but quickly hushed themselves as the lights dimmed and Marshall made another puff of smoke burst in front of the bleachers and behind the Candy Carnival staff. The spotlights focus on the smoke which thinned out to reveal Geemo in white dress with puffy sleeves, ribbons in her hair and a basket in her hands. Geemo, serving as the flower girl of the wedding, beamed at the crowd as five thin, long drapes of white silk descended from the ceiling of the tent. The crowd gasped as Fionna Nightingdale, Cake Michealli, Marceline Abadeer, Francine 'Ember' Sparx and Bonnibelle Shugarston slid down the tapestries so elegantly. All of them were dressed in beautiful dresses of pure white silk and lace with white cotton leggings underneath. Half of Fionna's wavy golden hair and Marceline's straight black hair were in a loose bun while the other half cascaded down their backs. Cake had her long light brown hair was cut short last week for the occasion, only reaching down to her chin in straight layers. Bonnibelle and Ember had their hairs in braids wrapped around a bun in the backs of their heads.

They faced the audience, smiling wide, then tugged at their silk drapes. As the white silk gathered at their feet, a golden silk flowed down, lining out the path that the bride would take. The crowd gasped as the lady of the hour slid down the golden silk. Her long white dress flowed behind her, the lace sparkling in the spotlights that were pointed at her. She landed ever so softly and gracefully on the covered floor of the tent. Light blonde locks framed her body with white daffodils woven around the curls. Golden leaves were sown into her dress, giving her the look of a beautiful Greek queen. When she touched down on the ground, Bonnibelle quickly appeared by her side, quickly assuming her role as the Maid of Honor. The two of them hooked arms as Fionna, Cake, Ember and Marceline lined up in front of them.

Suddenly, a deep tone resonated from the altar. Marshall Lee had stepped up in front of the others and was humming quite a deep tone. Finn, Bubba and Ignatius joined in on a low sonorous chord. Their voices began to change notes but maintained melody. Then, as quickly as they started, they stopped. Finn stepped up beside Marshall then sang a note, the root of a chord, followed by Ignatius on the third and finally Bubba came in with the fifth. They held the major chord as the Ringmaster took a deep breath and began to sing with the most gorgeous voice that Fionna has ever heard from a man.

"Here comes the bride dressed all in light,

Radiant and lovely she shines in his sight.

Gently she glides graceful as a dove,

Meeting her bridegroom, her eyes full of love.

Love have they waited, long have they planned.

Life goes before them opening her hand.

Asking God's blessing as they begin

Life with new meaning, life shared as one.

Entering God's union, bowed before His throne,

Promise each other to have an to hold."

As his voice wove out the lyrics, Geemo, the wedding's flower girl, wandered forward at the beat of the song, tossing white flower petals as she went. The ladies of the troupe followed behind with Bonnibelle and Lillian in the back. They slowly and gracefully made their way to the platform, between the two sections of cushioned chairs, then up the stairs that led to the altar. As the last note of the song finished, Bonnibelle had given Lillian to Jake and taken her place with the other ladies on the right side of the altar.

With a nod from Peppermint Butler, the bridesmaids and the groomsmen stepped down from the altar and to the front row of the cushioned seats saved just for them. As the blonde took her seat, she noticed that Bonnibelle's eyes were sparkling wth tears of joy. Fionna took the seat between her and Cake, hooking an arm through the pink haired woman's arm. Fionna glanced over to her 'sister' and saw a small smile on her face. The blonde couldn't help but beam when Peppermint butler began with "Dearly Beloved, we are gathered here today in celebration of..."

She remembered the look on the groom's face when he took his soon-to-be wife at the altar. The blonde could tell that Jake was trying to hold back tears and she knew that Lillian was too. Even though she has only met the Ringmaster, then eventually the rest of the circus troupe, Fionna was so happy and honored that she would be able to see Jake and Lillian in Holy Matrimony with each other. She was so happy for them that it reminded her of her parents. The way that her parents would stare at each others' eyes and the way they held each other. Oh how she missed them so. Fionna felt an arm hooking around hers and saw Cake smiling at her. They rested their heads against each other as they watched Beemo bring up the rings and the bride and groom exchange 'I do's.

"By the power vested in me by the King of England," Peppermint declared proudly. Fionna remembered when Bubba and Marshall Lee asked the King to grant Peppermint the license to perform weddings. "I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride." Jake and Lillian slowly faced each other. Fionna and the rest of the audience held their breath as the yellow haired man slowly lifted the veil from his newly wedded wife's face. He slowly traced her jawline then tilted her chin up towards his. Fionna had to suppress a squeal as the anticipation was killing her. Finally their lips met and the crowd roared.

The reception afterwards was one that history could not overlook. The Candy Carnival staff jumped into their booths which were somehow transformed to wedding activities. Dinner was phenomenal, not to mention the wedding cake that Bubba, who happened to be one amazing baker, with accurate figurines of the couple on top. The Ringmaster and his cousin displayed their musical abilities once more and provided music for the dancefloor. The songs started out as upbeat then became more intimate.

Fionna was enjoying some food with Cake, Geemo, Beemo, Finn and Ember when the music began. As the music began to slow, Finn invited a blushing Ember to the dancefloor. Cake suppressed a giggling but Fionna nudged her in the ribs. The blonde saw Cake open her mouth to scold her but shut it when Lorn came over. Fionna was able to suppress her giggles but a teasing smile slipped onto her face. Cake tried to glare at her but the effect was lost thanks to her blushing cheeks.

"Hello Miss Fionna!" The blonde looked over her shoulder to see the newly weds behind her.

"Hello Mr. and Mrs. Dogson," She relied and was pleased to see the joy that showed on their faces. "Congratulations! I'm so happy for the two of you!" The blonde stood up and pulled the two of them into a hug.

"Yay Jake and Lilly!" Geemo and Beemo exclaimed and ran into the newly weds' arms.

"Aww thanks you guys!" Jake blushed as Lillian rested her head on his shoulder. "Looks like the instruments have taken over the music." Fionna looked to where Marshall Lee and Marceline were singing and was surprised to find that a quartet of stringed instruments have taken over.

"Jake! Lillian! Come here you two!" Mr. Starchy came up them. "Congrats you kids!'

"Thanks Starchy!" Jake replied as Lillian smiled happily. Mr. Starchy bounded off after little conversation, saying something about more food. Fionna sat back down as Lillian and Jake sat by her.

Lillian said something to Jake in Korean then the yellow haired man turned to the blonde. "Where's Bonnibelle? Lillian said she hadn't seen her get any food yet."

"She has. Before she went to congratulate the two of you. After that, she went with Ignatius to try out some of the Carnival games," Fionna replied.

"Excuse me," Bubba appeared from behind them. "Would you mind if I steal a quick word with your husband?" he asked Lillian, who didn't seemed to mind, let Jake go. Fionna's cerulean eyes followed Jake as he walked with the strawberry blonde man towards the stage where she saw Marshall lee. The Ringmaster saw the blonde looking at him and gave her one of his dazzling half smirks. Fionna smiled back then quickly turned her attention back on the food, hoping that the raven haired man didn't see her blush.

"Mr. Bubba has something planned," Beemo chuckled sneakily as the ladies on the table looked at his with raised eyebrows.

"What? What's he gonna do?" Geemo pleaded her twin but he made a zipping motion with his lips and sat there with his arms crossed stubbornly.

"I don't suppose you know what Bubba is planning?" Fionna turned to the newly wed bride who shook her head.

"Well if you guys really wanna know..." Beemo started with a grin.

"Oh c'mon Beemo! Don't spoil the surprise," a deep husky voice chuckled behind the blonde. Fiona jumped in her chair when arms wrapped around her waist and Marshall's cheek nestled against hers.

"And quite a surprise it is," Jake chuckled then took his seat by his wife. He said something to her in Korean which she returned with a gasping and feverish nodding of her head.

"What?" Fionna and Geemo said in unison as Beemo burst into laughter.

"You'll find out soon enough Blue," Marshall whispered into her hair then stood up straight and offered his hand to her. "For now, how about a dance?"

"Oh, um sure," Fionna stuttered, blushing furiously as she let the Ringmaster lead her to the dancefloor. She noticed that everyone was dancing in pairs and the beat of the music was quite slow to the point of intimate. Her blush deepened when the Ringmaster wrapped an arm behind her waist and pulled her very close to her. He intertwined their fingers on the other hand and smirked at deep scarlet blush spreading rapidly on her cheeks. Fionna could not understand why she was blushing so hard. Marshall Lee has done this before. They have been this close before, even closer than this. They have danced together before. So, why was she blushing like crazy? Was it because of the intimate music? Was it because she can look into his deep dark eyes without the mask?

"That blush looks wonderful on you," Marshall Lee murmured into her ear. Instead of replying, Fionna buried her blush into his shoulder. The Ringmaster chuckled, swaying her to the beat of the music.

When she got over the embarrassment she felt, Fionna looked up to the Ringmaster and said, "So what's the surprise?"

"Don't worry, it's about to happen anyways."

"What is?"

"Shh, just be patient," the Ringmaster teased. Fionna pouted, annoyed and felt like a little child kept out of secrets. Marshall laughed at her expression.

Fionna blushed. "And what is so fun-mph!" Before she could finish her sentence, Marshall captured her lips with his own. The blonde felt her breath taken away by the kiss. She let her eyes close and lost herself in the warmth that is Marshall Lee. To her dismay, he pulled away before the kiss went too deep.

He smiled down at her and planted a sweet kiss on her forehead. "Don't worry, we can continue that later, but right now, the surprise is about to begin." He turned the blonde around and wrapped his arms around her waist. Another wave of heat rushed to Fionna's face as the Ringmaster nestled his cheek against hers, his breath sending warm air down to her collar bone.

Fionna distracted herself by looking for the surprise that needed the attention of Bubba, Jake and Marshall. She found Jake waltzing along with Lillian in front of them. This song was being played just for them so they were the only ones on the floor. Then the stopped and went separate ways. Fionna was confused. What were they doing? Didn't they want to enjoy the rest of the song together? Before another thought came to her they came back. This time, Jake was walking with a nervous looking Bubba and Lillian came back with confused a Marceline. Jake clasped Bubba on the shoulder then guided him forward to the ladies.

"What are they going to do?" Fionna whispered.

"Just wait, you'll see," Marshall chuckled to the girl in his arms.

Fionna held back a gasp as she watched Bubba take one of Marceline's hands while his other hand reached in his pocket. He was saying something to her but the blonde couldn't make it out from that distance. It didn't matter because, with one hand still holding the Animal Tamer's, Bubba Golfax kneeled down and held out a small open box on his other palm. Fionna didn't need to see to know what was inside nor to hear what Marceline's response was. Everyone who was watching started to cheer, Marshall being the loudest out of all, when Marceline gasped loudly and nodded. Bubba slipped the ring into her finger as she fell down to her knees and threw her arms around his neck.

* * *

In celebration of the new married couple, Jake and Lillian Dogson, and Bubba Golfax's marriage proposal to Marceline Abadeer, Marshall Lee and Peppermint Butler announced that the Carnival and the Circus will be staying in Paris for the rest of the week. The carnival will be open for the first three days for the people to enjoy but for the rest of the week, the staff will be enjoying Paris. The Ringmaster wanted Jake and Lillian to have a peaceful honeymoon in the City of Love so decided that the troupe was free to roam the city without any performances. Also, it was Valentine's Day. So, the girls weren't exactly complaining when the Ringmaster gave them the week off.

"There are so many places to see!" Cake exclaimed as she, Ember, Fionna and Bonnibelle prepared to go sight seeing. In courtesy of the French, the Cirque du Celestia performers were given hotel rooms by the river side for the duration of their stay. The four of them, along with Marceline and Geemo stayed in one of the luxurious rooms while Marshall Lee, Lorn, Bubba, Finn and Ignatius stayed with Beemo in another. Jake and Lillian were allowed a couples suit since they were just married.

"Where's Marceline?" Fionna wondered aloud as she looked for the black haired woman around the room.

"Probably already walking through the streets of Paris with her new fiance," Bonnibelle giggled.

"I thought it was really sweet that he proposed," Cake voiced.

"It was! I didn't know they were dating though," Fionna continued.

"They weren't," Bonnibelle chimed in as she helped Geemo into her outfit. "But they might as well have. They were constantly together and we all saw something brewing there."

"Except Marshall," Ember chimed in as Fionna stifled a giggle.

"Alright is everyone ready?" Cake announced as she finished brushing through her now shorter hair.

"Yep," the blonde replied as she grabbed her woven hat with the bunny ears. She smiled fondly at the article, remembering that it was thanks to the Ringmaster that picked it out for her on her very first carnival event. The blonde tied her hair into a ponytail and stuffed it under the hat.

"You know, you never told me where you got that hat," Cake said as she led the rest of the girls out of their room.

"Oh uh it was in Ms. Lottie Pope's booth. That was the very place Marshall took me to on Christmas Day. I got one of the rings through a a bottle and won a prize. Marshall picked out this one out for me and I do like it."

"Did you keep it because you liked it or the certain someone that picked it out for you?" Ember teased as they made their way to the streets of Paris. Fionna's cheeks flushed.

"Oh there's nothing wrong with liking both right Fionna?" Bonnibelle chuckled and hooked her arms to the two sisters and stood between them. Geemo grabbed Fionna's hand as Ember hooked arms with Cake.

For the next couple hours, Fionna couldn't stand still. She and Geemo were so excited, they were practically running to every store and beaming at every sight they saw. With the money they were given by the King and from previous performances, Bubba and Bonnibelle were able to put some aside for fun. Cake dragged her sister into a dress shop. Fionna never really liked shopping for clothes or anything of the sort but her jaw dropped when her eyes fell on the many dresses that the various boutiques around Paris provided. One particular dress caught her attention but she was afraid of how it would look on her the and price was outrageous. She and the other girls skimmed through hundreds and hundreds of dresses from silk to cloth and in every possible color known to man. They had to make up for the lack of shopping they did in the King's village in London.

"This is the fifth shop we've been to!" Bonnibelle complained. Fionna chuckled to herself. The others have already bought multiple dress but the blonde still had to choose her own. She shook her head and told the others there was nothing there that she wanted.

"Are you sure you didn't like any the dresses there?" Cake asked her as they walked towards their hotel.

"Yes I'm sure," Fionna replied.

"Hello ladies," Marshall smiled as they made their back to the hotel. He was dressed in black slacks, dress shoes and a plain white button up shirt. He was leaning against the door frame with his dark grey trench coat draped over his shoulder. "How are you liking Paris?"

"It's fantastic!" Geemo exclaimed and bounced over to the Ringmaster.

He let out a laugh and lifted Geemo into his arms. "It is a wonderful city. And I see you went shopping?" He asked, eyeing the various items on the girls' arms.

"All of us except for Fionna. Cake bought only a handful of things though," Bonnibelle murmured as she slipped passed the Ringmaster and into the hotel. Ember followed quickly behind her, trying not to drop any of the clothes and accessories that they bought.

"You didn't buy anything?" Marshall asked the blonde as she approached him without carrying anything.

"I'll see you later, Fi," Cake whispered as she carried her small pile up to the room.

"See you lat-" the blonde whispered back but the raven haired man interrupted.

"Wait Cake! Lorn is looking for you! When you're done with your-er- things, just knock on our room!"

"Alright!" Cake called back and ran after Ember and Bonnibelle.

"So why didn't you buy anything?" Marshall turned to the blonde as he set Geemo down.

"Well you saw the others. I didn't feel like carrying anything around and I really didn't see any dresses that I liked," Fionna whispered bashfully. She jumped slightly when the Ringmaster tilted her chin up to met his deep black eyes.

The raven haired man smirked at the blush spreading through her cheeks, making it burn even redder. "This is Paris. I don't care what you say, there had to one in all those dresses that caught your eye."

The blonde knew he was right. The image of the gorgeous blue dress that she saw earlier but gave up on popped into her head. "See? There was a dress," Marshall laughed, as if reading her mind. "Here take this one," he pushed Geemo towards the blonde, "and go on upstairs. There's a little surprise for you up there."

"Another surprise?" Fionna smirked back at him.

"Yes, well, I really hope you like it," the Ringmaster murmured just loud enough for her to hear, while scratching the back of his head.

Fionna couldn't help but giggle at how cute the raven haired man was when bashful. "Well I'll just go up there and see then."

"Come back down when your done. There's something that I'd like to show you."

"Alright," Fionna called over her shoulder as Geemo tugged her arm towards the stairs.

"He likes you," Geemo giggled as found the door to their room.

"Oh hush," Fionna flushed then knocked.

"Fionna!" Bonnibelle came bursting through the door after the first knock. "Marshall left you a present!"

"Ooh! What is it?" Geemo exclaimed, jumping up and down.

Fionna smiled and slid past the pink haired woman and into the room. Cake immediately ran up to her and hooked arms with hers. The brunette had a wide grin but said nothing. She led the blonde towards the bed that they were sharing. Though she already new that Marshall got her something, she was surprised as to how large it was. She thought it was going to be something small but it was as big as the boxes that Jake makes his appearances from.

"Well don't just stand there!" Ember came from somewhere behind the blonde followed by Bonnibelle and Geemo. "Open it!"

Fionna need not to be told twice. She quickly pulled the white ribbon tied around the light blue box and removed the top as the other girls crowded behind her. All five of them gasped loudly at what was inside. It was a dark blue dress with white frills going down the front, around the waist and the sleeves. The glittering golden embroideries sown on the dark blue silk around the waist and the layered skirt shined even brighter in contrast with the deep ocean blue. It was the very same dress that she fell in love with back at the store.

"It's beautiful," the blonde whispered as she took the gorgeous dress out of it's box and ran her fingers delicately over the soft silk.

"You should wear when you go back to see Marshall!" Geemo exclaimed, breaking the awed silence in the room.

"Whoa wait," Bonnibelle said quickly. "You're going to see Marshall?"

"Uh yeah," the blonde answered nervously. "He said there was something that he wanted to show me."

"Oh it's a date!" Cake exclaimed. Fionna flushed.

"Geemo's right! You should wear that dress. It's beautiful!" Ember exclaimed.

"I don't know, Marshall is already waiting downstairs and aren't you supposed to be meeting with Lorn" Fionna turned to her adoptive sister.

"I already did. He also gave me a new dress and told me to bring you when I came down so you could go with Marshall."

"Well we better get the two of you ready!" Bonnibelle exclaimed and dragged Fionna to the mirror as Ember dragged Cake to another.

The knocks on the door went unheard as the dancers prepped the 'sisters' for their 'dates'. It was after a couple more knocks and some banging of the fist onto the door that Geemo finally opened it to see the Master of Blades and the Master of Fire.

"Hi Finn! Hi Ig!" the little girl smiled.

"Hey Geemo. Um is Ember and Bonnibelle in there?" Finn asked nervously.

"Yup, they're helping Fionna and Cake get ready to go see Marshy and Lorn."

"Marshall has always been one heck of a lady killer," Ignatius chuckled softly to Finn.

"Yeah and he really seems to like Fionna," Finn whispered back then turned to Geemo. "Can you tell Bonnibelle and Ember that they should get ready too? They're coming with us to dinner while you and your brother will be staying with Jake and Lillian." The girl nodded and ran back inside.

* * *

"Alright, we'll see you two later!" Ember called out to the 'sisters' as she and Bonnibelle walked out the door with Finn and Ignatius. Ember was in a long flowing peach dress that made her red hair appear gorgeously darker. Bonnibelle practically glowed in the brand new brown dress that she bought only hours before. "Oh and you might want to hurry! Marshall and Lorn are down stairs!" and with that, the four of them were gone.

"Cake, I feel ridiculous," Fionna murmured.

"No you don't. Besides, you won't feel that way when Marshall can't breath because of how beautiful you look," Cake replied. Before the blonde could say another word, Cake took her hand and led her and Geemo out the door. After dropping Geemo at Jake's and Lillian's room, they made their way downstairs. "Alright, keep that shawl with you. I know that it's bizarre that it's the middle February and it's actually not freezing outside but keep it wth you just in case."

"I will," Fionna sighed and smiled at Cake's maternal instincts.

"Okay see you later!" Cake smiled and ran over to where Lorn was standing by the front desk.

Fionna looked around and her heart skipped a beat when her eyes fell on the Ringmaster. It astonished the blonde how well the raven haired man pulled off the casual and the formal look. He was wearing a full-on suit that looked as if it was made just for him, fitting him nicely. The black suit was complimented nicely by the dark grey tie and trench coat. He was leaning against the window pane with his eyes closed. The blonde cautiously approached him, careful not to make a sound.

"Marshall?" She whispered ever so softly.

"Mmm?" Marshall turned towards the sound of her voice without opening his eyes.

Fionna, unable to resist the Ringmaster's adorable half asleep face, got on her toes and gave him a small kiss on his cheek. That definitely woke him up. His eyes snapped opened and stayed wide when found the young woman. His jaw dropped slightly then turned to a smile of disbelief at the stunning sight of her. Fionna flushed. She was indeed wearing the dress he had picked out for her, silver earrings that Cake bought for her and her hair was done into gorgeous curls by Bonnibelle.

"Wow," Marshall Lee sighed breathlessly. "You look beautiful."

"Yeah the dress you picked out is gorgeous. It was the one I was actually thinking of getting." Fionna replied, embarrassed.

"No, not the dress. You look beautiful. I mean you always have but tonight you so look stunning and- just wow," Marshall rambled out as Fionna flushed even darker.

"Whoa there lady killer, the poor girl is completely red and you haven't even taken her anywhere!" Bubba laughed as he and his fiance, Marceline, appeared behind him. This time, it was the Ringmaster's turn to blush.

"And where have the two of you been?" Marshall retorted trying to avert the attention from his and Fionna's blushing.

"All over Paris. There are a lot of beautiful places here that you should take Fionna to," Marceline answered with her arm hooked around Bubba's. The statement sent another wave of pink through Marshall's face.

"Thanks but I already have something planned out tonight," Marshall replied calmly despite the pink on his cheeks. He wrapped an arm around Fionna and led her out the door. Cake was right. Even though it was the middle of February, it wasn't that cold outside.

"So where are we going?" Fionna looked up to the Ringmaster.

"You'll see," he replied, smirking.

"Another surprise?" Fionna sighed though still happy that the raven haired man had something up his sleeve just for her. "I've been all over this city with the others earlier, you know. Are you going to take me to somewhere I haven't seen yet?"

Marshall Lee chuckled and stopped to turn to the blonde. She squeaked as he pulled her close to him and lifted her chin. "That was during the day. Paris is even more beautiful under the moon," the Ringmaster whispered huskily.

He was right. First, Marshall Lee took Fionna back to the tent. Confused, the blonde gave him a puzzled look but he only smirked at her and led her out to the back. There, was the river of Seine. On the river's side were tables covered in white covers with a single candle in the middle. Some were empty but most of them were filled with couples while waiters bustled around. Near the tent, Fionna recognized some members of the carnival staff playing soothing music on stringed instruments.

"Not here," Marshall chuckled to her and led the way down the river. There was a little deck, serving as a small port for small boats on the river, jutting out the side of the river bank. The blonde could make out a single table set out on the deck. It was also covered in a white table cloth with a candle flickering above it. When they arrived there, Marshall pulled out a chair for her, much like the first time they met, then push it in for her. He took the seat next to her as a waiter took their orders then served them their food.

After the delicious dinner of Paris's finest, Marshall took Fionna's hand and led her down the dock where a gondola decorated by a couple small candle lit lanterns. Fionna was overwhelmed by everything that the raven hared man was doing for her. He led her to the gondola and, once she was safely seated in the middle, took the long pole at the end and pushed off. Fionna's bright blue eyes sparkled with awe and amazement at the lights and the reflections they created on the river. She let out a gasp and stood on her feet when the Eiffel Tower came into view.

"Amazing, isn't it?" Marshall whispered, putting the pole back on it's holder on the gondola and stepped over towards the blonde. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her backwards to his chest. The blonde leaned back to his lukewarm frame and nestled her head on the crook of his shoulder. She place her palms over his and continued to stare at the Tower's wonder. "As the tallest building in Paris, it was built to be the entrance arch to the World's Fair in 1889," Marshall enlightened.

"The World's Fair?" The blonde murmured, not really caring what they talk about as long as she can hear the raven haired man's melodic voice.

"To celebrate the centennial of the French Revolution."

"It's beautiful," she murmured softly. They stood in silence, basking in the beauty that each other provided and basking in the aesthetic scene of Paris before them. Fionna's mind was blank as she enjoyed the peace and quiet and warmth of the Ringmaster around her. "Marshall?" He replied with a 'hmm'. "What do you think about Bubba's proposal?"

She looked up to him and noticed a small smile on his face. "Did Bonnibelle and Ember put you up to ask me that?"

"Well, they didn't tell me to ask you directly and I am curious myself," she turned to face him and smiled.

Marshall kept his arms around her waist as she placed her hands on his chest. "Well as her cousin and his best friend, I completely support it. It was Jake's idea that he propose to her at the wedding."

"The others said that you didn't notice the, um, connection between them..."

"Do they really think I'm that clueless?" Marshall laughed. "I noticed way before the circus started. I _am_ the one that introduced them to each other after all. I just decided to keep my mouth shut and let it go however God wanted it to."

Satisfied with the reply, Fionna smiled up to him and snuggled her head to his chest. She felt him tense by the slightest bit, and she could hear his heartbeat pickup just a tad bit. Once again, a silence fell on them. Not the awkward ones that an unsure mind creates by having thousands of thoughts racing all over the place. No, Fionna Nightingdale and Marshall Lee Kingville stood on that gondola, on Valentine's day, encased in each others arms as the elements around them harmonized to this perfect moment in their lives.

Once again, it was Fionna that broke the silence, not because she wasn't enjoying it nor that she felt awkward but because there was something that she needed to tell the man she had fallen for. "Marshall?" She gazed up at him and marveled at his features. He was indeed very handsome, from his sharp facial features to those deep midnight black that shined with love as he returned the loving gaze that she was giving him.

" I want to thank you-"

"You don't have to-"

"Yes I do Marshall. If it weren't for you, who knows what would've happened with those drunkards or if we would even survive the winter. You and this circus have saved the lives of me and my sister so many times." Fionna poured her heart out. She spoke the truth, the circus gave them a purpose in the struggling life they once had. Yes, Marshall, Lorn and Bubba saved them from those drunkards the night they met. Yes, they provided them a place to stay to survive that dreadfully cold night. But it was the invitation to join the circus family that made the biggest difference. Fionna didn't even notice the tears that fell down her cheeks without her consent until the Ringmaster wiped them away from her face.

"You know that every member of this circus have struggled at one point of their lives. The sole purpose of the Cirque du Celestia is to bring smiles to anyone and everyone we reach," he murmured softly and stared deeply in her eyes. Fionna thought she was about to lose herself in the love and passion that was swimming in those deep midnight black eyes of his. "When I first saw you, I knew I couldn't just leave you. Your ability to smile genuinely at the hardest of times, the determination you and your sister have to survive in this world no matter the cost, I just felt that you shouldn't have bear that weight by yourselves."

Marshall Lee traced his thumb over her cheeks and down to her chin. His thumb followed her jawline then hovered over her lips as his palm cupped her cheek. His other arm held the blonde tighter, bringing her closer to him. His eyes stayed locked with hers, mesmerizing her and keeping her to himself. Fionna couldn't look away, not that she could think about it. "When I saw you win that hat at Lottie's booth, you were so happy as if it was the best thing that has ever happened to you. I wanted to show you that there is happiness everywhere, even the darkest of places," he whispered, meant for her ears only. He placed his forehead against hers. The blonde tuned everything out and gave all her attention to Marshall Lee.

"I wanted to show you that you don't have to go through life on your own. I wanted to show you that this world isn't just death and struggling, sickness and disease. This world has happiness like the smiles our audience graces us with, family like your sister and the rest of the troupe, friends like Lottie and Starchy. And I want to be there, standing next to you and holding your hand when you find that happiness. I want you to know that through everything, from here on out, I will always, _always_ be here for you and hold your hand through the darkest of times, even carry you if I have to.'

"Thank you," Fionna whispered as she blinked away the tears of emotion swimming in her eyes. "But you forgot something else this world has."

Marshall smiled down to her with all the love a man can give to the one meant to be. "You're right, I did forget."

Fionna could no longer contain the overwhelming emotions she has been holding back. Neither could Marshall Lee. Their lips pressed against each others, eager to show each other the emotions they've held back. Marshall's arms wound around her waist as hers wrapped around his neck. He tilted his head down, deepening the kiss. Fionna molded her lips against his, getting lost in the pressure of the kiss. She never wanted to forget this moment. She memorized the feeling of his lips against hers, his scent that she was breathing in, his warmth that he gave her and especially the way he made her heart swell with all the love that this world and the next had to offer. There was nowhere else in the world that she felt happier, _safer_ even, than in the arms of the Ringmaster of the Cirque du Celestia.

The broke the kiss, not because one felt uncomfortable not because one needed because it felt right. They stood there, smiling at one another, encased in each other's arms.

"Love."

* * *

Review, oh wonerful reader.

If you can think of any upcoming holidays, please let me know through PM or in the reviews.

Again I am really sorry that this was so late.

This was my first attempt to write a full romantic scene. Please let me know what you think!


End file.
